You Found Me
by NessaSimone
Summary: Zara is a young, naive girl. She grew up in a world filled with violence, anger, and rage. Yet she still managed to find the beauty in everything the planet. Till the day came when she sees a star falling from the sky crash landing near her home, she soon comes to realize all the stories she was told were real. Will curiosity get the best of her? Will she find love? Bellamy/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Name change - Enya - Zara**

* * *

Ever since I was a little girl growing up I had always been very curious about life, history, what once was. My grandmother used to tell me tales about how her mother had lived through a terrible event. A war that had left the planet in such ruin and chaos, with such a loss of life and hope that we had become what we are. We are the Onandowaga, the people of the mountain. My mother told me that before this our ancestors had come from a place called Washington.

All I knew where the mountains and the Valley's, these lakes and rivers. The Onandowaga. That is what I knew, it is said that the people of the world before ours left us all down here to die. Retreating to another home, a safer place. I moved my hand along the grass around me feeling every blade under my skin.

"Zara?" I heard a voice call my name, sitting up slowly off my sweater that I had made into a pillow I grinned at my friend.

"Hannibal." I told him as I began to pull my sweater back over my head.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked me, "What if my father found you out here?" He scolded.

Hannibal had always been looking out for me, his short shaggy brown hair always covering his eyes. His mother always told him how he needed to keep shave his hair shorter. I huffed standing up pulling on my jacket as I headed over to him.

"There's no need for us all to be uncivilized till the next boundary war." I sighed starring up into his bright blue eyes.

"Zara," he warned me pushing my long loose brown braid behind my shoulder. "You are far to curious and stubborn for your own good sometimes." He chuckled, "now come lets go." He told he offering his arm.

We had over the many years collected things from our past, books; clothing other trinkets we had no real use for. Most of the clothing I had we had found in structures that where far under the ground. Or passed down from my mother and grandmother, it was forbidden for the women in the Onandowaga to fight or even own clothing for fighting.

We where nearly halfway up the mountainside where the woman and children of our civilization would stay, out of the way of danger. It wasn't so bad, but it was why I enjoyed running off and going on my own adventures.

"What is that?" I heard Hannibal ask me, I turned to face him but he was looking up at the sky.

"It's very big, and on fire is that a falling star?" I asked.

"I don't know…" He started to say as it let out a loud burst shot through the entire sky causing us both to cover our ears. "What's going on? Hannibal I'm scared!"

I looked up my hands still over my ears as we watched the giant star crashing into the ground. There was fire and smoke burning up the forest line. The fire seemed start to subside, but the smoke still shrouded over the sky.

"That came from space…" Hannibal said, "isn't that where – " I heard him stop saying as I began to run as fast as I could down the hill towards the clouds of black smoke. Curiosity got the best of me.

"Zara!" I heard him yell, "Stop! Zara!" He continued to yell to me. I ignored him; I had to go see what it was that landed on the ground. I needed to know if the stories my grandmother were true. Did the people from the past go into the sky?

As we got closer to the smoke I began to run fast towards a tree using the small stumps along the side of it to make my way up high into the branches. Moving swiftly from tree to tree before I finally reached a new clearing that was made by the thing that landed.

"Zara, your curiosity is going to get you killed." I heard Hannibal say as I saw him make his way through the tree tops till he stayed in a tree beside me.

"I needed to see this, what is it?" I asked him.

"I have no idea. Really it looks like a large ball of tin." He told me.

We kept our eyes glued to the giant metal tin, hoping something would happen to explain why it was here, what it was, where it came from. I had so many questions, they where about to be answered when we heard many clicking sounds and watched part of the thing move down towards the ground.

"What's it doing?" Hannibal said.

"How should I know, you're smarter than me." I stifled a giggle, he just shot me a look before rolling his eyes.

"Zara, look." He said pointing to the new hole in the side of the star that had fallen from the sky.

"People…" I said softly. "They came from the sky, the stories are true they did abandon the ground to go up." I told him excitement filling my eyes.

"We should tell my father…" Hannibal began to say, "You can, and I want to stay here… I want to watch them…" I told him softly.

"Zara, you will get sent to stay in the forest under Lincon's watch if they think your causing trouble again." He told me.

"Lincon isn't so bad, he's a lot less brutal and violent than most of the hunters. I'd probably learn a few things about the sky people."

Hannibal shook his head, "Please, Zara… try not to be so naïve and curious about this… you know I can only do so much to keep you safe." He told me. I nodded, he was right.

A young girl with long brown hair made her way out of the fallen star and began to look around until she raised her hands above her head and yelled something loudly. "We're back bitches!"

"Their back?" I said, as Hannibal looked at me shaking his head again.

"Please, Zara let's go." He begged me, "I just want to see them…" I said slowly as they all began to leave the fallen star.

"They're so beautiful, Hannibal…"

"No, they aren't Zara. Let's go." He said as I finally took a deep breathe and followed him through the trees before we reached the end of the one forest climbing down from the trees and began to make our way towards the other side of the boarder.

"We almost killed you." I heard a stiff voice from behind us as a few of our hunters left the tree lines.

"We were just checking out that thing, we're going to tell my father." Hannibal began to explain.

"Go quickly," The man, told us, he was a tall man.

He was brutal in appearance, tattoos marking his face supposed to frighten outsiders from our small community we'd built, the Onandowaga. We weren't the only people like us in this area; we were just simply the more violent of our kind. Lincon was a traitor for his own people they called themselves the Nantego. Tidewater people, they lived near and around the waters edge.

They sent him inland for going against something they had apparently done for years, some sort of beginning of the year sacrifice. He told my mother they wanted to sacrifice his sister or some woman close to him. Which is why he is in our lands now, we typically ignored him. He never interfered with us; he was lucky we had that in common. We avoided each other; our tribe was usually one to just kill on site without question or hesitation.

"Zara." The man said slowly. I turned to face him, my bright blue eyes beaming in his direction, worry filling them instantly.

"Your brother is looking for you… he is over in the south ridge, take this and go find him." He told me tossing me a blade. "Be  
quick about it."

I gave a quick hug goodbye to Hannibal as he continued to run up the mountain as I made my way towards the ridge, once I had realized that I was no longer being watched I climbed back up the tree and headed back towards the fallen star.

Watching them carefully each one more fascinating than the next. I would talk to them if I knew they would understand me. The language they were speaking was easy enough to understand but it hadn't been spoken in years. I so badly wanted to get closer to them and examine them, learn more about them.

Hannibal would just scold me for it if I did though, I could easily enough pretend I was on that star with them. There was so many of them it would be unlikely they would notice I wasn't one of them. That's when I saw him; he was probably one of the most stunning of the group.

He was tall, his hair was pushed back on his head, and he wore all black clothing that was quite similar to the stuff our hunters wore. He had a stern expression lingering on his face as he made his way over to two other boys.

The one boy with shaggy hair, the other a tall darker boy reminded me much of my friend Tanya. She was darker too. He began talking to the boys, but about what I couldn't hear. I was probably being too curious about it till I watched them move behind the back of the fallen star. They took out blades and began to pop off these weird metal bracelets on their wrists before tossing them to the ground.

They began to move away from the back of the star, so I used a rope to quickly move towards the ground where their bracelets where picking them both up and going back up into the tree. Sitting on the stiff branch I began to examine the bracelet's.

"There not even fashionable, how do you propose closing it?" I heard a soft voice come from behind me as my brother sat on the other side of the tree.

"I came here the moment I saw it fall from the sky; I knew you wouldn't be able to resist. Not with all the stories mom would tell you as a child." He said.

"They are so strange and yet so incredibly intriguing." I said before I let myself go silent. "The hunters are going to hunt them all down and kill them… aren't they Rhys?" I asked him.

He lowered his head, "You know I would speak up if I could Zara, but ever since Mom and Dad died… our family lost it's place to speak up. You're lucky our leaders son has taken an interest in you." He said as I scoffed,

"Hannibal is my friend Rhys."

"He want's to wed you, birth children from you… that's not friendship, that's ownership." He told me, pushing his short brown hair back, gazing at me with his soft pale blue eyes.

I lowered my head, "Remember the stories grandmother would tell us about how back in the years past people would wed and have children because they loved each other, not because they were told to? Not like this… do you even love Ophelia?" I asked him.

He smiled at me before looking up; "I was lucky Zara… I found a female in the clan who wanted me as much as I desired her. Who knows you could find that in Hannibal." He said.

"You are aware his name has been passed down from generations because his name is the same as a cannibalistic deranged monster from fiction right?" I asked him.

"Thought he was you're friend?" Rhys grinned.

"Shut up." I smiled; "Do you think they would understand us if we spoke to them?" I asked him.

"Not likely, we speak a mixture of languages… those who still speak English… learned it from books or had it passed down from their parents." I sighed.

"Mom was teaching me…" I told him.

"I know, she taught me for years before dad found out and stopped her. I can say 'Hey, would you like some food?'" He said with a laugh his sentence sounding much like the people on the ground did.

"Well there you go, we can offer them food." I smirked, "Smart ass." He shrugged.

"We should get going," He said as he began to stand up, "Wait look those five are leaving the group. Their heading towards our home…" I told him as he and I watched.

"The hunters wont let that happen." He told me his voice growing cold.

"I was afraid you were going to say that." I said lowering my head looking for the dark haired boy amongst the crowed of youths on the ground.

"Are you sure they wont just bring them into our clan, Rhys?" I asked, "They look young, my age even… capable of repopulation, fighting, gathering food… you know we always need more people if we want to fight the other clans that are starting to grow in size." I began to say.

"They do however you know its not up to me; and if they have a leader. The only way ours would take them in as new members of the tribe would be if their leader did one of two things." He told me.

"Submitted, or dies." I finished for him, "They don't look like they have a leader." I said looking around at them all. He moved so that he was next to me on the trees branch. "That one there."

He said pointing out at a young boy, not just any young boy. The one I was looking for. The tall dark haired boy in the hunting gear, he was their leader… ordering people about making them take off the ugly metal bracelets, not sure why he had to make them. I was looking at one they have sharp points on the inside.

What kind of jewelry has sharp points that go into the skin, I always thought it was supposed to be pretty not painful. The people in the sky most defiantly had weird tastes indeed.

"Zara lets go." He said as he began to move through the trees.

Sighing I began to follow him through the branches and trees, taking one last glance towards the people from the fallen star before following him through the trees for what felt like hours, time passing by slowly.

We had almost reached the edge of this part of the woods, a small river that was filled with massive water snakes. We where always told to avoid it unless we wanted to tempt faith. "We should get some water before we continue up the mountain." He told me.

"Wait, Rhys look… its those five that left." I pointed to him as they all slowly but surely made their way out of the forest a year yards away from us and began to head to a rock ledge that sat above the water a decent amount.

"Well, I guess they walk after than we run." I rolled my eyes at his comment, "Or we took to long, sitting there talking about them all then slowly dragging ourselves through the woods. What? What are you staring at?" I asked him turning my attention back towards the group.

The young girl with the long brown hair stood there undressing herself slowly, peeling off her clothing, she called something out to her friends before jumping into the water. I could hear Rhys chuckle, I punched him in the arm.

"She doesn't know about the snakes." I scolded him.

"Oh but they will." He said pointing back a little ways in the water as one of the snakes had began to make its way to her. "Now that they are distracted we need to get to the other side."

"Rhys what if they're headed up the Mountain to that weird underground place?" I asked, "Should we warn them that the Hunters guard that area from trespassers and outsiders?"

He shrugged, "If you can figure out the English for that… be my guest." He chuckled as we made our way to the other side of the bank. I could hear the girl screaming in pain as well as her friends screaming to her. "Rhys, we can't leave her like that." I begged him.

He stood there for a short while before shaking his head and heading over to a secluded part of the water, cutting the palm of his hand open and sinking it into the water, "Tell me when the beast has left her alone." He told me as I turned and peered through the trees, "It's headed this way." I told him, "She's almost out of the water." I told her excitedly as he pulled his hand out of the water and began to wrap it up in the thin scarf he had around his neck.

"Now let's go, I have to watch the border tomorrow, and you… I don't know I'll see if they will let you come with me." He told me as I smiled widely at him.

"Really? You will?" I asked him as we continued our way up the hill.

"If it keeps you away from those people, than yes… I'll ask. I don't want them sending you away with that traitor till you learn your lesson." He sighed.

"Lincon is hardly punishment. He's apparently very kind." I said matter-o-factly.

"You're so naïve, little bird." He told me pulling me into a side hug, I slid my arm around my brother looking up at him.

"Why? Why does everyone say that?" I asked.

"It's your need to know, your curiosity, that you always try to see the best in everything, the light in the darkness. Zara… its what makes you so pure, so innocent, something worth keeping safe. Why do you think the leaders hate when you run out without Hannibal or anyone knowing where you are… you just being the way you are is valuable to them… the way mom raised you, gave you morals that the Onandowaga haven't had or used in many years." I rolled my eyes,

"Yea because locking me in a change and blowing out the light keeping my heart ignited is a sure why to keep me the way I am." I huffed as we finally made it into the cave.

I didn't care what they said; I wanted to know more about those people from the fallen star, I wanted to help them, wanted to learn from them. I don't care how naïve that makes me…like Rhys said… it's who I am, and how I was raised. They liked it.

"Zara, don't be like that…" He said softly as I made my way into our small home before releasing the animal pelt that acted like a door between my room and the rest of our home. "I'm going to sleep." I sighed as I crawled into my bed. It was full of pillows, animal pelts. Shutting my eyes hoping those people would still be alive for me to figure out when I woke up the next day.

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Meanings and Pronunciation's

Onandowaga - People of the Mountain  
Nantego - Tidewater People  
Zara- Zar-ah  
Rhys - Reece  
Hannibal - Han-i-bale

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Character Likeness

Zara - Kaya Scodelario  
Hannibal - Gaspard Ulliel  
Rhys - Jonathan Rhys Meyer


	2. Chapter 2

**Name Change - Enya - Zara**

* * *

"Zara, wake up." I felt someone nudging me, causing me to open my eyes.

"You wanted to come with me did you not?" Rhys asked.

"Do I have to wear the clothing like you guys do?" I sighed putting my hair back into a braid leaving it hanging over my shoulder. "There aren't clothes like this small enough for you." He chuckled.

Rolling my eyes I sat up and left my room looking at him, "Well where are we going?" I asked him as a yawned.

"Lower boarder of the mountain." He told me.

"Mount Weather?" I asked him, as I began to eat a few of the berries sitting in the bowl.

Rhys leaned against the wall after he finished putting on all his gear for the day. "Of course, that's exactly where those people where headed. We can't let the cross that water bed." He explained.

"We're not going to kill them are we?" I asked him.

Shrugging his shoulders, before walking out of the room leaving me there to stare at where he was standing. The thought wasn't comforting at all; it just led me to the realization that our people would kill anyone without question.

Rushing off to find my brother outside our home gathering a few weapons tossing me over a spear and a belt full of knives. He didn't say another word as he pulled down his mask and headed out of the cave me following silently after him.

We had spent the whole morning just walking towards the river where the people where supposedly headed towards. Once we had finally gotten there we climbed up into the trees watching the entire area until we heard them walking towards an edge of the water.

They where making a lot of noise wrapping some of the trees vines together, I supposed that's how they had planned to avoid the water below them. Swinging across, if only they knew the water snakes didn't come into this part of the water.

One boy grabbed hold of the vine and swung across to the other side as they all began to cheer. Hugging each other and cheering, what was so special about getting to that side of the bank anyway? Where they trying to get to the blocked off place on mount weather?

"Rhys, they made it now what?" I asked him only to hear no response. Looking around for him, why would he leave me up here? The hell did he go, that was when I saw a spear hit the boy on the bank throwing him backwards against a tree.

My eyes growing wide with fear, why would he do that? Why would he try to kill them? "Rhys!" I called out my voice in a soft hushed voice. Climbing down from the tree I watched as the kids hid behind a rock before rushing into the forest running just past me missing me entirely.

"So civilized, they didn't even try to go to the other side to get him." I heard Rhys say from beside me.

"You're an ass Rhys! Why would you kill him!" I shouted pounding my hands into his chest.

"Shh!" He tried hushing me harshly. "He isn't dead, I missed his heart!" He told me.

"I don't understand!" I cried out.

"If we scare them away and send them on a chase looking for him, than they will think this way isn't safe… it'll keep them away from this area." I stared at him wide eyed.

"Nearly killing someone who could be a friend isn't the answer." I told him as he began to walk towards the small cliff over the water and used the vine to get to the other side.

"So naïve, Zaea… they are not our friends. They threaten our very existence. Their people left our people down here to die, Zara. Why would you want to be friends with those kinds of people?" He told me as he picked up the boy laying there on the ground carrying him effortlessly in his arms.

"Were are we going?" I asked him. "What are we doing with him?"

"Lincon is meeting us off the ridge, meeting in the caves to take this spear out, heal him up and find a use for him. Preferably bait…"

I rolled my eyes, before following him away and towards where Lincon would be meeting us. "It's funny we all call him a traitor and yet we run to him with all kinds of things."

"He wants to be apart of the Onandowaga, helping when we ask is how that will happen." Rhys answered coldly.

The boy he was holding seemed to feel a jolt of pain and screamed out in pain. Causing my brother to pull the spear out slowly tossing it to the ground before he began to run to our meeting place with Lincon.

"Rhys will he make it?" I asked him.

The silence he was giving me was actually scaring me, why would he try to kill the boy if only to try to save him shortly after. What kind of motive was that? "We're here." He said bringing the boy into the cave laying him down on the ground.

"Stay here, we have to build a fire and be quick about it."

I heard footsteps from behind me, causing me to turn as I whipped out my knife. The man held my knife by the blade and chuckled softly. "Why would you give your own sister a dull blade? What is she attacking the grass?"

"Lincon." Rhys said as the man lifted his mask and looked at us both. "We need to plug up his wound… and find a place for him."

"Find a place for him?" I questioned, "How much does she know?" Lincon asked my brother.

"I don't know anything." I sighed walking over to the one wall taking a cloth from the pack Lincon had dropped there before dipping it into the tub of water rinsing it out and walking back towards the boy kneeling on the ground dabbing water all over his face.

"She's a compassionate one isn't she?"

"One of the few, will she be safer with you?" I heard my brother ask as I looked up and around only to realize they weren't in the main part of the cave.

Did they know I could hear them? Why where they talking about me being safer with Lincon? Was I being sent away did I do something wrong? Had I been bad, did my constant adventures finally catch up to me?

"Are you sure the leader wont notice she is gone?"

"The only one besides me and a few of the young ones that will notice is Hannibal and I can easily distract him from realizing she is missing." I heard Rhys say.

"You know they will blame the people from the sky for her disappearance… You would be better off just saying she misbehaved and they would send her to me anyway."

"Yea but she would still end up suffering, they would take some pride away from her, or her virtue, or worse." I heard him say again.

"I don't think they will take that away from her, but they will force that marriage on her much quicker." I could hear my brother take in a deep breath.

"I'm going to go get some of that sea weed, maybe a few fish or rabbits. Watch over her Lincon." I heard him say, "I always have," Lincon said as I heard footsteps reenter the cave.

"Your brother went to get some food and materials for the wound." The tall dark skinned man said to me as he finished building up the fire and igniting it.

"Night fall will follow shortly after he returns." He continued saying.

I took a deep breathe before standing up and returning to the small thing of water, wetting the clothing again before returning to the boy. "Why are we trying to kill them?" I asked, "They're just kids… like me." I asked.

"The leaders believe them coming down here is only the start of their people coming back to the planet. They think, by them coming down here that they will try to change our ways of life…"

"Why would that be so bad? Maybe we can build the world back to the way it was…" I said looking to him.

"They don't want that, that happening will only mean that they will have less control. You and I both know these people will not harm us, they don't want to. They aren't fighters… but we have laws down here we have a way of life. To go against the leaders is to commit treason." Lincon explained.

"I think that's stupid…" I huffed as I continued to dab all over the boys body to lower his temperature.

"Once the night falls, he will get cold enough… come lets start on his wound we're going to need to clean it up." He said.

"What is going to happen to him in the morning?" I asked.

Lincon just began to burn the wound shut, with his dagger causing the boy to cry out in pain gripping the ground. "Hush," I cooed the boy as I began to push his hair back rubbing his shoulder gently with my free hand. "Hush." I said again before he passed out.

"They intent to tie him to the tree in the meadow not far from here… the offering tree… you know the one." He said softly.

"Why, why would they do that?" I asked.

"A distraction. Don't worry Zara… he will be fine… trust me."

I sighed looking back down to the boy; he looked so frail and fragile in his state. Small puffs of breath escaping his mouth. His chest rising and falling slowly he looked so peaceful and yet he was in so much agony.

"I cannot trust people who are willing to kill blindly. For no reason of cause." I told him as he continued to ready the paste in the small bowl.

It had been hours since my brother left us here, once he'd returned he had begun to skin and cook the rabbits he captured on the way back. Lincon had been putting the poultice into the boy's chest. To heal the wound better, he would still have some shock and minor poisoning but that was because most of our spears where laced with poison.

"Can I come with you tomorrow?" I asked my brother as he lay on the ground.

"Come where?" He asked casually.

"To wherever you're taking the boy?"

I heard him sigh deeply, "No. Zara you can't come with me to take the boy to his last spot. You're going away with Lincon."

"What no! I won't go, what about Hannibal and the elders and leaders… they won't let me go away!" I shouted at him.

"No they won't if they find out I was the one who sent you I might even be killed… Zara, right now it isn't safe for you near the mountains. Something is happening up there, and I want you as far from it as possible. Once I realize what's going on trust me I will bring you back." He told me as I shook my head.

"I hate you Rhys… You can't just send me away when I become too much to deal with. I am not your burden just because mother died."

Rhys sat up and looked at me before moving closer to me on the ground, he took in a deep breath choosing his words wisely. With me people always had to be careful with what they said. Not because I would get angry or something but because I often didn't understand what they where saying or what they meant. Not that I was stupid, I just didn't always understand.

"You are my sister, Zara. Therefore you are my responsibility. You have been since the day you where born, I will do anything to protect you, this is me protecting you just understand please… I'm sending you away because I love you, not because I can't deal with you." He said as he pushed my braid over my shoulder.

"I would rather suffer any fate, including death… than see you hurt or suffer. Please, understand." He told me as I nodded, before lying down next to the unconscious boy and going to sleep.

"Zara." I heard my name being called. "Zara, wake up or we will miss what they are doing." It was Lincon. Which could only mean my brother had already left with the boy.

Opening my eyes I turned and looked at Lincon, when I saw him there with all his gear on I looked around for any signs of my brother or the boy, they where gone. "They left before sun rise." Lincon answered my thoughts.

"I guess I'm your problem now." I said with a sigh.

"Then come with me, I will show you what they have planned for the people…"

I stood up faster than I probably should have, looking at him with disbelief. Was he serious about taking me to see what my brother and the other hunters had done to the boy. He lifted me off the ground by my arm and began to drag me out of the cave and towards the where I assume my brother and the others had taken him.

"Let me go! I can walk on my own!" I shouted, as he was quick to cover my mouth.

That's when I saw him, the dark haired boy from the sky faller's camp. He was wondering around the rivers bed with the one boy he had made take off the bracelet, a darker skinned boy. His skin was much darker than Lincon's and two of the people who we had stopped from being eating by the river snake.

"What are they doing here?" I asked him.

"The same thing we are, hunting your brothers trail to find that boy." He told me as he dragged me away from them.

We had managed to get to the meadow rather quickly, with Lincon pushing me to hurry up and climb a tree. We made our way through the branches till we stumbled upon the tree. Well not just any tree, it was the tree the young man was attached to.

Lincon looked at me before holding me back by my shoulder. "We cannot touch it, they could be watching him."

"We still can't just stand here and watch him die in this heat." I explained.

"We're not, we are watching over him." He told me as I let out a deep sigh before getting more comfortable in the tree.

"Your lover boy is here." He told me with a soft chuckle.

"What are you talking about?" I whispered harshly punching him in the shoulder as I watched him raise his hand and point at the same dark haired boy, the sky peoples leader walk into the small clearing looking around the area.

We watching the girl rush towards the boy in the tree, how she didn't suspect us to have traps around him was beyond me. It was so obvious he was bait, for a prize much bigger than him. How did my brother and the other hunters know they would go back and get their leader?

She nearly fell into the trap, as the leader of their group rushed to her aid, was he debating letting her fall into the trap to her death? I had really hoped he wasn't like that. I felt myself frown, was he really just as bad as everyone I was already surrounded by.

"I've watched them." Lincon said.

"She is an outspoken one. Always challenging her leader, pushing him. If he lets her fall its to set an example." He told me.

"Or he can be a kind and just leader, and just punish her not kill her." I pointed out as he and the others pulled he out of the hole.

"Or maybe he was scared and couldn't hold on." I said softly, hoping that was the reason he had waited so long before pulling her up.

Two of them had begun to climb the tree to help the boy out of it as they all began to look around. Did they hear something? Was someone from my tribe here watching them too?

"Panther." Lincon whispered pointing to the soft black fir that was crawling its way slowly towards them.

"We need to warn them… or help them."

Lincon shook his head at me, telling me no. Why was everyone so ok with standing there ready to watch these people die, they had no weapons. They where not native to this place, they didn't know what to expect down here.

Loud pops rang through the air, causing both Lincon and I to cover our ears quickly. I was not terrified; I'd never heard a noise like that. Did that come from the people? What did they do? Did they scare away the Panther?

I looked up only to see their leader standing there looking around, I couldn't hear what they where saying but it seemed like they where trying to figure out where the beast was. That was when it leapt out of the brush towards their leader. I looked away, I couldn't watch. I felt Lincon's hand touch my shoulder gently as a few more loud pops went off causing us both to jump.

Looking up I searched quickly for the dark haired boy hoping he was ok, only to see the large cat dead on the ground in front of him and everyone around them looking terrified. What had just happened?

"They killed it?" I asked.

"Looks like they will be eating tonight… come with me, we can watch over their camp… make sure our hunters don't kill them. Would you like that?" He asked me.

I nodded; of course I would like watching over them. At least that way I could understand them, and find a way to interact with them. There could be nothing wrong with trying to be around them they didn't seem harmful.

"Can we talk to them?" I asked him.

"Until we understand them and know what we are up against… no." He told me, only for me to sigh.

"I guess I should go find a cave near by their home…" I sighed again.

"I know the perfect one, should protect you against the fog, and any other events. We will need to get you some weapons in case as well as start making you armor like mine. I will train you… you will be able to protect yourself." I smiled, "I'm sure I won't need armor."


	3. Chapter 3

**Name Change - Enya - Zara**

* * *

I had been sitting in this cave trying to figure out what to do with it. Lincon some times bringing me weapons and belts, books and gadgets to I suppose decorate the entire cave. It was a cave I really didn't see the point in making it homely if this is just where I'm staying so the leaders of the tribe can't find me.

This was an interesting cave, we had managed to find more tunnels under neither a rock as if someone had made this a home before and hid it. The tunnels I had found beneath the rock lead me all over the place. I had ended up putting all the weapons and pelts of fur down here. It seemed safer being hidden down here than being exposed up there.

Hours had past since Lincon was here, since he said he'd be back with food. I walked outside the cave letting some of the rays of light hit my face. I smiled as I stretched my arms, looking around only for this bliss to be cut short by the sharp distinct sound of the fog horn.

"No…" I whispered to myself as I jolted back into the cave hiding myself in the shadows staying hidden within the small hole in the ground just incase the fog would enter the cave.

It wasn't fog that entered my cave however it was a small girl. She looked as old as the small girl who lived next to me back in the mountains. She was thirteen years old, wonderful little sprite. She always said how much she wanted to be like me. Go exploring and hunting like the boys, she often got in trouble for talking like that.

I was afraid the fog was going to enter the cave, should I call the girl over to hide down here with me? Or leave her to die the horrible fate that is the acidic fog. I was about to stand up when he entered the cave not to far behind her. It was the man, their leader.

"Charlotte, go back some more." He told her causing me to attempt to silently move into my hole only to slip on a rock causing me to need to grab onto the one that I had been hiding behind.

"What was that?" The small girl asked jumping and shielding herself behind him.

"Whose there?" He asked. Even his voice was beautiful, it was so smooth, and yet rough and harsh sounding.

"Maybe I hit something." She said.

"No, there's someone there." He told her, "Come out, we wont hurt you." He told me.

"Bellamy, what if it's a grounder?" She asked.

"It could be Pascal or Trina…" He said softly.

I wasn't sure who or what a Pascal or Trina is or was but I was certainly not either. Where they calling us Grounders? I guess that made sense since we were down here on the ground and they came from up there in the sky. I made the decision to stand up and face them. My hair covering over my face, I raised my hands above my head and slowly turned staying where I was looking over to them.

He was far more beautiful up close that he was from yards away. He looked at me, studying me I guess to see if I was a threat to him and the small girl. He finally moved closer to me, "Are you from the Ark?" He asked.

I moved further away and shook my head to say no. He arched his brow while studying me. "You're a grounder?" He asked.

I scoffed and shook my head lowering my hands back down to my waist. "Onandowaga." I said softly. My English was better than I had thought, because he smiled softly at me.

"We're not going to hurt you." He told me.

"You should." I mumbled. I looked over at the girl while pushing all the hair out of my face. I regretted taking my braid out earlier in the day, my hair was everywhere and it was irritating me.

"You are really pretty." The girl told me. I smiled softly to her.

"No." I smiled, "You are the pretty one." She smiled brightly.

"Bellamy I don't think she's a bad grounder." She told him,

I frowned at her, "Compliments, do not make me good." I told her, as I placed my hand over my heart. "This makes me good."

Bellamy smiled, "sorry we're in you're home… there—" I cut him off.

"Not my home, I live in mountains." I told him slowly. "I was sent away to live in the forest… I…" I paused, why was this so much easier to say in my head than out loud. I probably sounded like an idiot to them.

"The hunters live here… this is their home… come… not safe." I told them as they nodded following me down the hole in the cave.

I lead them through the tunnels towards where I was sleeping, keeping them at a distance. As much as I would love to trust the sky people, I couldn't just as much as they probably didn't trust me. I pushed aside a pelt blocking the door and walked over towards where the fire was boiling the stew I was making. Vegetables and rabbit, it was all I could make on my own. It was all I could find. I turned around with a small hand carved bowl and pointed to the girl than the soup.

"It is good… want some?" I asked her as she nodded rushing towards me sitting down on a stone grove in the wall.

"What's in it?" She said as she handed me back the empty bowl.

I wasn't even sure how to pronounce the word in my head, so saying it out loud was going to be interesting. "Um the orange …um ground… logs… with the um green sprouts… with some rabbit." I told her, once I got through the sentence I sighed leaning back against the wall as if I had accomplished the impossible.

"Orange ground logs?" She asked with a smile. "Rabbit… it eat them." I told her looking frustrated.

"Carrots." Bellamy had said as he walked over and sat next to me.

"Their called Carrots." He said again much softer, "this is celery." He told me pointing at the green bits in the stew.

"Thank you, our hunters they know lots of different…speaking ways… I am not so good at saying words." I said my face still filled with frustration.

"We should bring her back to the drop ship with us." The girl said.

"Charlotte we can't, it was a grounder who attacked Jasper… even if she is the only decent one out here… they will kill her… Clarke and Octavia leading the helm we can't."

"Goggles?" I asked causing them both to whip around to look at me.

"You did that?" He asked.

I shook my head no, "I took care of him… I help to heal him… medicine." I said, "Not hurt, never hurt." I said shaking my head no. I hated this English thing. I was started to think it would be better if they learned what we spoke.

It was the leaders, and the hunters to kept all the languages of the old times alive. Once they established new civilizations they started with new languages, to have a fresh start away from the past. Guess they figured the sky people would just stay up there and die not come down here.

"Promise?" She asked me.

I nodded, "I don't want to hurt you… I was sent away for…" I paused.

Did I really want to admit to watching them? That could sound incredibly weird… 'My people sent me away because I got overly curious and was watching your group, my suitor got jealous of my fascination with you and your leader so he tried to speed up the marriage trials to which my brother nearly killed your friend to throw you off and then sent me here.' I can see that conversation ending with his dagger in the side of my throat.

Bellamy moved closer to me, "Why did your people send you away?" He asked.

"I am to curious…" I said softly, "I do not do, as they ask… the leader of the hunters… she is um, well she um she mutiny… like pirates." I said realizing that entire sentence made zero sense.

I could see by the look on his face he also had no idea what I was trying to say. "She wants to lead the Onandowaga… um grounder?" I said, "So she get the hunters, like the ones that hurt your friend… to um mutiny against our leader… I was sent away to be safe." I said finally.

It was partly true, Lincon had told me she and the rest of the hunters wanted to take over the tribe. They wanted to stop the madness that is locking the women in children up in the caves away from the world. She wanted women and men to live as equals, the hunters apparently agreed with her.

I agreed with her, however my brother knew if they began to fight each other I wouldn't be safe there. Since he is a hunter, likelihood is the leaders would kill every hunter's entire family. Just to show them who is boss, knowing how sadistic some of our hunter's where… I can see that going down in a war of bloodshed.

Bellamy looked at me and nodded, "Charlotte is tired…" He told me as I nodded, "Come with me." I said to her kindly as I stood up and held out my hand.

"Where am I going?" She asked me, "Where I sleep, it is warmer than your camp… and a pillow." I told her causing her to giggle.

Bellamy stayed behind in the other room as I brought her into the adjoining one. I brought her over to a rock that was that was indented in the wall; it was formed enough for a person to sleep comfortably. I had placed a pillow for my head and enough blankets to lay on and to have over me there. I lifted it up, and let her crawl in.

"This is better than on the Ark." She smiled.

"What is Ark?" I asked her.

"It's where we're from… up in space… after the people left Earth they went up there but they sent us all down because they want to come down." She explained.

"Not safe." I told her.

If all their people would come down, they would tear down the trees, build their homes… they would hunt all of us down and kill us all. Their only problem would be that we know the land, we know the weather, and we know the food and the animals. They would all be dead within the year.

"If you're this nice, there has to be others like you." She said. I smiled at her; it was nice of her to think we could be nice.

But the fact of the matter was, even our women would probably try to kill them. Them being down here basically proved our leaders to be wrong. They told us that when they left the ground they all died up in the sky. That they would never return, if the woman and non hunting males don't try to kill all these people… they would probably join the hunters in killing our leaders. Unlikely since the leaders fed them and clothed them.

"No, only few… very few." I smiled to her.

"What's your name?" She asked me.

"My name?" I said slowly, "My name… is Zara."

"That's a pretty cool name, where you named after someone?" She asked I shrugged my shoulders. To be fair growing up people would call me Anya, which was my grandmother's name. I used to think that was what my name was till my mother explained my entire name to me; it was my Grandmother and great-grandmother's names together.

That sounded like a horrible bedtime story, almost worse than those brothers' grim tales my mother used to read me. It was the only books she liked reading. "That sucks, we won't tell anyone you're down here…" She told us. I smiled at her before tucking her in and leaving the small room.

"She likes you." I heard Bellamy say from the other side of the room.

"She can't." I told him as he shook his head as I sat back down across from him this time.

"Are you afraid of me?" He asked.

I nodded "Not as afraid as I am of my own people." I told him.

He lowered his head, "My people aren't much better." He told me.

"They sent them all down here to die… just to see if earth is survivable."

I sighed; "It is… but they cannot come down… they will be um… they will be…. Massacred?" I said before shaking my head, "Slaughter. My people will slaughter them… no mercy." I sighed.

His eyes widened, "And you're not like that?" He asked.

"I like your people they aren't my people… I want to learn… explore… my people will not allow that."

He stood up and sat next to me placing his hand on my leg, "We will keep you safe. I can come back here and help you learn… when I can… I'd take you in but they are trying to find who hurt their friend… they will blame you."

"That was my brother, to stop your people from climbing the mountain." I told him.

"Your brother?" He asked causing me to nod.

"He didn't mean to kill him, just scare him. We didn't send the panther after you either…" I explained causing him to smile.

"You where watching us?" He asked.

Watching you, your friends are far less interesting than you are. The fact that he said he would come back some times and help me learn his language had given me chills. I liked the thought of him coming back. However I had to admit… the fact that he was being so nice to me had me spooked.

They needed their martyr for what my brother did to their friend. I was perfect for that, everyone kept telling me how naïve I was. Telling me not to trust or talk to these people and yet I still did, I was talking to them, infatuated with him, and blindly trusting him.

"I was curious." I told him, "I just wanted to make sure you where safe." I told him as he smirked. "All of you… that is." I said as I felt my face heat up instantly.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed. Guys like hearing good looking girls say stuff like that." He said pushing a few strands of my hair behind my ear.

I smiled softly as the young girl bolted out of a dead sleep screaming causing Bellamy and I to rush into the next room him moving close to her side kneeling on the floor as I picked up the pillow placing it on my lap and sitting next to her.

"I'm sorry." The girl said softly lower her head.

"Don't be sorry." I told her rubbing her back.

"Does this happen often?" Bellamy asked her. "What are you scared of?" He asked her when she didn't respond.

"You know what, it doesn't matter." He said softly, "The only thing that matters is, what you do about it." He told her with a soft smile, she looked over at me.

"Do you ever get nightmares?" She asked me, I guess she meant the not so great dreams. I never used to get them until my parents passed away.

"Yes… I do from time to time." I told her, "How do you deal with them?"

"Fear is all up here." I told her pointing to her head.

"Fears and fears, Charlotte." Bellamy took over, "You slay your demons when you're awake. Then they won't be there to get you when you sleep." He told her.

"Really?" She asked looking to me.

"Fear is the enemies greatest weapon against you… he is right… what we do with things that we are afraid of is…" I paused… should I really tell this girl to kill whoever or whatever it is that is scaring her?

I remember when I used to tell my father and brother that the my dream terrors where about the river people coming to our homes and killing us… they ended up kidnapping one of their hunters and told me to help them kill him. It stopped those dreams, only because it made me realize that they could easily be destroyed.

She was looking at me, "What we do is exactly that, we conquer our fears while we are awake so that they will not harm us as we sleep." She smiled turning to look at something across the room.

"What's that?" She asked. She was pointing to an old dream catcher my grandmother had made me, the natives of before our time used to make them to… ward of evil sprits.

"It is a dream catcher." I told her, "Another way to make the bad dreams go away."

"We can't afford to be weak," Bellamy told her. "Down here, weakness is death, fear is death." I nodded, "Take it." I told her as I wondered over and grabbed it.

"A gift, to remember me." I told her as she smiled.

"But he is right, while you are here… fear and weakness will get you killed. Even my people follow with that."

"Let me see that knife I gave you." He told her with a smile as he looked over to me from the corner of his eye. "I lost it on the run from the fog." She told him as he lowered his head.

"Take mine." I told her passing her over a small tiny dagger.

"Thanks." Bellamy said softly to me.

"Now, whenever you feel afraid. You hold tightly to that knife and you say, 'Screw you. I am not afraid.'" He told her as she looked over at me skeptically.

This was just as entertaining for me as it was a learning experience for her. This was a strange way to help someone, by handing them a knife and telling them that everything would be all right. My people would just laugh it off and tell them to go back to bed. That nightmares are for the weak and we can't have weak people in their tribe.

"Screw you. I'm not afraid." She said softly.

I looked over at Bellamy who was giving her a strange look. Only for her to take a deep breath saying it again and much louder. I clapped when she finished saying it looking at us both proud of herself.

"Slay your demons kid." He told her, "Then you'll be able to sleep."

He stood up and headed back towards the other room; "I will be watching over you too… no one will hurt you… I will be up in the trees." I told her as she smiled.

"I'm afraid of the other kids finding you and killing you. You're so normal… like they wouldn't even realize you're a grounder… they'd just think your one of us…" She said.

"My English is very bad, I am sure they will notice it easily."

She sighed; "I'll make Bellamy think about it, you'd be better with us than alone." She said.

"How old are you Charlotte?" I asked her.

"Thirteen… how old are you?"

"Eighteen...You are a very smart girl for that young." I told her.

"And you're incredibly kind for a grounder." I sighed at her remark. "I hope that is a compliment."

"It is." She smiled proudly as I tucked her back into bed before leaving the small room a second time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Name change - Enya - Zara **

* * *

The sun has risen nearly twenty-two days since the last time I had seen young Charlotte or their leader Bellamy. Lincon had forbidden me from going to watch over their group. Instead he began to teach me English, the language that the warriors used. He began to tell me that a leader had raised in the East, that she had planned on taking over the entire region.

If she was a warrior like he'd told me she was, it only made me weary of what horrors she would bring towards the people of the rivers and my people in the mountains. Lincon told me my brother had joined her and that Hannibal and his fighters where searching for me. He wouldn't tell me why they wanted me but I could only imagine it was to either harm me or trick my brother into rescuing me so he could kill him.

I sat there drawing in the dirt when Lincon entered the cave; he'd moved me into his home. It was deep in the territory of the new warrior princess. So he knew I would be safe here far from the harm of my people. He sat down in front of me in the dirt slowly handing me over a nicely cooked piece of meat.

"You've gotten better with archery and knife skills Zara." He told me softly eating a large chunk of the rabbit.

I nodded as I picked mine apart, "When can I go visit my friends? You said I could." I told him,

He lowered his head before looking at me, "It's still not safe, Anya and her men have killed many of the Onandowaga, those who joined them have been moved to further regions so their new loyalties could be tested… if anyone sees you they'll think you're one of them… the traitors or the outsiders."

I rolled my eyes, "Then let me meet with Anya, I'm sure if she talks to me she will tell her men I am with you."

"You're brother already spoke to her, they both agreed. Until every member of your old tribe has either joined or been killed you're not safe."

I took in a deep breath "Fine, fine. Whatever." I told him before moving away from him and closer to the fire.

"They lined the pathways to the villages with the skeletal remains of anyone who refused to join… Both your brother and I think that's something you don't need to see."

"Of course he thinks that." I scoffed.

"They killed his wife." Lincon finally said causing me to whip my head around, "They did what to Ophelia?" I asked him my tone growing dark.

"Your brother asked her to come with him, to join them. She refused… she was the first to refuse…" My eyes widen. "Anya told him to kill her to show his loyalty to her. He did so without hesitation."

It stunned me to think only a few weeks ago my brother was telling me how lucky he was to have found a mate whom he loved, and couldn't imagine a life without, and he kills her on a whim because some woman told him too. Barbaric.

"I think she plans on taking to your brother… he is always with her, by his side… which means keeping you safe is important because it's not only important to her future mate, but now her as well."

"This great and all but… I don't care. He killed Ophelia, Lincon… how can he follow, let alone love a woman who made him kill his mate without mercy."

Lincon put his hand on my shoulder; "Zara… times are changing we are on the winning side of a war, it is futile for our peoples survival. Yes she is a wicked woman but she is doing whatever it takes to ensure the lives of her people last. Do you really think continuing with the ways of the Onandowaga are going to maintain a survival? They treat women like cattle Zara, not people."

"I'm going for a walk, and don't even bother stopping me. God knows I'll just hurt myself and get you in trouble…" He nodded, "Keep an eye on the girl for me?" He asked me.

He had taken a liking to the longhaired girl in the village the people from the sky had formed. Watching her daily, making sure she was safe. I thought it was sweet; knowing Lincon like I had started to he wasn't the type to give these feelings up lightly. He was right in knowing where it was I was running off to though.

I ignored all the remains of my people lining the paths as I made my way towards the camp full of the sky people. I could hear screaming and shouting, to be honest it frightened me. I climbed one of the trees and made my way towards the camp sitting in a spot trying to remain unnoticed.

The group had bound and gagged a boy, kicking him, punching him ferociously. I could tell he was in bad shape from the position I was in. What where they doing? Why was this happening? I moved as close as I could without being seen by anyone to catch that he had been accused of murdering a boy earlier in the week.

They where planning on killing him without a trial. Even our people had trials this was just savage. There was no way they're people where more vial than our own tribes could be. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. They hung a rope around the boy's neck and began to pull him up so he was hanging till they made him stand on a box.

That was when I watched as Bellamy, they're leader looked at the young blonde girl from the forest and told her that whatever it was that was going on was on her. That was until I heard Charlottes angelic voice ring through the air.

"I did it!" She yelled loudly.

I moved my attention to her, "I did it." She said again as all eyes where on her.

Another boy quickly ran over cutting the rope allowing the boy to fall to the ground. I watched as Bellamy, the blonde girl and he boy who cut the rope all took Charlotte away into a tent. I wasn't sure what it was that was going on but I watched the tent intently hoping they weren't harming the young girl. I watched as Bellamy walked out of the tent and began to talk to the boy, when out the other side the two older kids had begun to lead Charlotte away from the camp.

I followed them of course I did. I don't know who they are; I can't trust them with Charlotte. Just like I could no longer find myself capable of understanding or trusting Bellamy. How could he hurt that boy? And while hurting him blaming the pain he was going through on another person. It was despicable.

I followed them through the trees until they stopped and went underground. Where they hiding her in a cave? How did they even know where to find the caves we used for homes? Half the time I couldn't even find them. I sat there for what felt like hours, just watching the hole in the ground to make sure that when they came out. They came out with Charlotte, because if they didn't they wouldn't be returning to their camp at all.

I could feel my eyes getting heavier, my body begging me to allow myself to fall asleep. Till I heard a metal creaking sound and watched as Charlotte climbed out of the small metal hole in the ground. She began to walk towards some shouting in the distance, along with soft light from what I could only assume where torches.

I grabbed the rope around my waist attaching it to the trunk of the tree before zip lining down picking the small girl up and bringing her into the tree with me sitting her on the branch next to me. She went to scream before I placed my hand over her mouth and told her not to make a sound.

"Zara?" She questioned me I nodded to her.

"I told you, I would watch over you."

She smiled to me, "I killed someone." She told me, as much as I wanted to be surprised by her actions. I wasn't. At her age I had attacked a person, I had killed a man too. Possibly for the same reasons she had kill the person she killed.

"Will you come with me? My people will keep you safe." I told her. She nodded, "However you must follow the directions I give you, so we can ensure they will not come looking for you." I told her pointing towards the screaming people.

"What?" She asked. "Anything."

I had left Charlotte where I had found her before taking off towards Lincon's home to ask him for help. Charlotte needed to vanish, but she didn't need to die. He helped me set up a net, the same one we had used to capture many large animals. I only hoped what I had planned would work.

I only hoped this would keep her alive and not kill her. I used a rope to climb down the side of the cliff as Lincon helped me ready the net securing it in place. I could see he was about to speak when we heard screaming and yelling coming from above us.

"It's almost time, once she is in this net… I will take her to Anya for protection. She will have to prove herself worthy, there is a chance she will die." He told me.

Looking up at where the noise was coming from; "She either has the possibility of becoming one of us, or dies at the hands of her own people. Either way she looses… at least this way she has the chance to live." I told him as he nodded.

I heard a scream and looked up to watch as Charlotte began to fall from the edge of the cliff, I could feel my heart beat rising in my chest pounding against the rocks. I hoped with all my might that she lands in the net safely so that Lincon could get her out of here and onto a safer path.

I felt the ropes in my hands grow heavily; I held it with all my strength till I felt the weight in the net release. I looked over to Lincon who was holding a fear struck Charlotte in his arms. I smiled to her and watched the ease crawl onto her lips. Lincon began to speak to her as she nodded and waved to me before he took her off into a direction that I could only assume was towards Anya.

I climbed up the cliff side and sat there on the edge looking out towards the vast nothingness. The world seemed so empty from up here. In the stories my mother used to tell me she would talk about how there where structures that reached up to the sky. Now the closest thing to the sky is a tree, and those aren't exactly fun to sleep in.

"Who are you?" I heard a voice startling me nearly causing me to fall off the side of the cliff.

I spun around to look at the person whose voice I just heard only to see the distinct outline of a boy. I could barely make out the boy's features standing up I approached him. "I am Zara." I told him, "Who are you?" I sincerely hoped it was Bellamy.

Even though after three weeks of not seeing him unless he was at his camp or it was a story Lincon told me about nearly being seen by him. I doubted that he'd ever see me again, not to mention the fact that he nearly killed a boy today before my very eyes. I knew he was bad, no good person would willingly torture their friends… would they?

"Murphy…. John." The boy said, I could tell he smacked his head.

"Which one is it?" I asked chuckling softly.

"Both, My names John Murphy… what are you doing so far from the camp? Did you come with Bellamy, Clarke and Finn?" He asked.

"Come with me," I said offering my hand. "At night these woods are less than forgiving." I told the boy as he took my hand in his and followed me through the woods towards a cave I had found and began to occupy near Lincon's own cave. It was within my people's boarders so this John Murphy would be safe from his people but within harms reach of my own.

We'd finally entered the cave and gone deep under the ground. He constantly asked me how I was able to see in the dark, where we were going, why the forest was so unsafe. The people from the sky were certainly full of answerless questions.

I saw that the fire I had left in here was starting to go out, quickly tossing on more wood and kindling. The fire roared to life once again lighting up the entire cave. "You're not from the Ark… are you?" He said from behind me.

I turned around to face the boy, my face full of confusion that he for some reason needed to put into my head. "What's an Ark?" I asked him studying his face. He was a tall young man, much taller then I am.

He had deep brown hair, light piercing blue eyes, blood and cuts covered his entire face. That's when it dawned on me; "You're the one Bellamy was letting everyone hurt…" I wasn't sure if I was asking him or telling him but it came out like a question rather than a statement.

"You watched that?" He asked straightening himself. "Wait… you know Bellamy? How is that even possible? If you're not from the Ark where are you from? Here? Earth?" He asked more questions.

"I met Bellamy and young Charlotte a few weeks back." I explained. "They where hiding in the cave I was camping out in to hide from the fog. I'm from Earth yes, lived here my entire life not without complications of course." I said looking to the ground. "And I did see that; I thought Bellamy was a good man." I stated more to myself than him.

"Bellamy's a prick." The boy said with a soft chuckle. "You're a grounder than… you look pretty normal for a grounder… Bellamy told everyone there where only men that he saw… that they where all disfigured and vicious."

It was now my turn to laugh; "No, the disfigured ones you speak of are all but dead now… my people killed the majority of their people. They were at war with us for years, trying to take our lands… however, I'll take being normal looking as a compliment."

John laughed while shaking his head, "Why did you bring me here?" He asked.

"Like I said, the forests at night can be quite unforgiving. Unless you would prefer that I left you out there to die, or worse." I stated as I walked over to the fire and sat down.

"No, no… thank you… I'm just not sure what you want from me." He asked as he cautiously followed me to the fire sitting down the opposite side of me.

"Why what do you think I want from you?" I asked him curiously.

"You're not going to like… rape me or… eat me are you?" He asked causing me to laugh hysterically. "One; I have no clue what a rape is but the word on its own sounds miserable so I don't want that from you. Also, I think I'll stick to rabbits and fruit." I said tossing him over an apple from my pouch that was on the ground.

"You don't know what that is?" He asked me curiously.

"No… should I?"

He shook his head; "No, just know it's a terrible thing to have happen to you… and no I haven't done it or have it happen to me." He said as I arched my brow.

"What is it? Sounds even worse than I thought."

"Have you had sex before, sure you have look at you." He stated.

"Sex?" I questioned. "Oh, child reproduction. No. Why?" I asked.

"Wow, anyway. It's um." He said pulling on his shirt. "When someone does that with you, without you wanting it to happen. It's horrible… happened to my mom." He said staring deep into the fire.

"Did she tell your tribe leader? Normally when someone hurts a woman in our tribe the entire tribe stones him while he's being burned to death." I explained to him causing his eyes to widen, "I thought being floated was a terrible fate." He mumbled.

"Floated? You also never told me what an Ark is."

"Floated, being sent out into space to die… it's how they killed people on the Ark where we all came from… it's up in space." He told me.

"I'm sorry your mother was hurt… I can't imagine seeing my mother in pain… they took mine away from me when I was younger so I wouldn't see her suffering." I told him as he lowered his head.

"No offence but your people sound like monsters." He told me,

"That's because they are…" I told him as I leaned against the wall. "They are barbaric at times but it's all we know…"

He nodded; "Well thanks for um rescuing me and not attacking me… I guess I'll have to look for a place to go come morning." He said taking a deep breath.

"Don't be silly, your lost, I'm lonely. This cave is massive, stay as long as you want… I can even teach you to hunt, fight, then my people will just think your one of them and not one of your people…" I said as he smiled, "Thanks… Zara…"


	5. Chapter 5

**Name change - Enya - Zara (Because the one grounder Anya; it was getting confusing for me to write lol)**

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"Ok honestly, it's kind of your turn to hunt for food…" He said lazily from the bed we'd finally made him.

"Murphy, how are you supposed to fit in with my people if you can barely hunt and kill a rabbit… besides, if I hunt it means you have to scavenge for vegetables and fruit and you're terrible at that too."

He turned his head to look and me and rolled his eyes; "It's been a week since you took me in, and you haven't said a word about what happened."

Sighing I stood up and walked over to grab my bow and arrows looking over at him for a moment. "Its because I don't want to talk about it."

He shook his head before getting off his bed and walking over to grab his knives I'd stolen for him, before putting them into his belt and pulling on his jacket. "Zara, come on. I thought we were friends." He told me causing me to smile.

"I want to believe that, trust me I do. However the last person that said I could trust them and that they where a good person nearly killed you than banished you from living with your people."

Murphy sucked in a long deep breath. "I'm not Bellamy." He told me. "Just because he's a lying prick doesn't mean I am too… I mean sure I'm a prick, but I'm not a liar."

I laughed at him, "At most your honest, still I don't like surprises… ever since you're people crashed into our lands… I just … I don't know what to trust anymore. Everything used to be so simple, so cut and paste… easy almost. Now I just see things for what they really are, always have been. Reality isn't as great as the books and stories told me it'd be." I sighed as he followed me out of the cave.

"Last night your people in your Ark sent down another shooting star. I was going to go investigate it, but Lincon told me that our new leader sent people."

Murphy grabbed me by my arm stopping me pulling me back to face him, "They sent down a pod?" He asked. I looked at him almost as if to say 'I have no idea what your saying.'

He rubbed the back of his neck, "They sent down another small ship, must mean they sent supplies or a doctor who knows. How long ago did it land we have to go find it."

I shook my head violently; "No!" I shouted, "If my people find you before your ready to be presented… they will surely use you, they will hurt you, and right now you're my only companion. I wont let that happen, so just stay close and just trust me."

He chuckled, "You want me to trust you, but you wont trust me?"

"It's not that I don't trust you, it's more or less that I'm scared that you will turn out to be just like Bellamy… he was so sweet, and so kind to me… than I see what he really is and I just I can't handle that not again."

"Thanks." He said softly as he walked past me and towards the deeper part of the forest. "For what?" I asked running to catch up with him.

"Trying… to I guess protect me, save me… help me… I'm not used to it. I mean up on the Ark sure I had friends but… I didn't really have any family… guess this kinda feels like we're family."

I smiled, "You see me as a sister?" I asked.

"I guess so, I mean this is the kind of stuff Bellamy does for Octavia… you know… watching out for her, taking care of her…" I grinned at him again.

"I guess I can get us a boar, I mean after all siblings would do that." He laughed, "thanks for mocking me."

I shook my head, "No, it was the first animal my brother caught for me when I first started learning how to hunt…" I said my voice drifting off.

"Is he dead?" He asked as we both hid behind a bush watching the small boar walk into the clearing.

"No, but he may as well be… he killed his mate, because our new leader asked him too… now their mates." I told him as I readied my bow aiming it at the boar before releasing the arrow and watched it fly through the air nailing the animal right in the head causing it to fall flat to the ground.

"Jesus… what are your arrows made out of?"

I smiled, "My secret." I laughed as we both wondered over to the animal, I knelt down and made sure it was dead before Murphy picked it up and began to head back in the direction of our home. He turned around and looked at me, "Are you not coming?" He asked me.

"I'm going to go run and get some more things, you head back and start to clean it and cut it up… I'll be back soon." I told him as he nodded and took off again.

I began to walk the forest aimlessly things seemed so pointless lately. Sure I now had my new friend John but he didn't fill that void I think I've always felt. That loneliness I was feeling in the pit of my chest. It just ate at me, daily just that feeling that'll never be.

I walked towards the river and sat on the small hill watching the water flow by. I always wondered when I would experience the feelings of joy like Rhys did when he first met Ophelia. Or the happiness that girl in the star fall camp had when she was always escaping with that one boy into the forest. I wanted that.

"Zara?" I heard a voice softly say from behind me.

I stood up quickly pulling out one of my daggers facing the person who'd said my name; I had to admit once I realized it was Bellamy… my body didn't ease up. He was looking at me holding some metal scrap.

"Zara, it's me…" He said softly.

"I'm aware." I told her darkly.

He looked shocked; I couldn't tell if it was at my comment, tone or that I had gotten much better at speaking English. He started walking towards me only for me to hold my weapon much tighter. He arched his brow at me confused at my actions. "Are you sure you're aware it's me? Why are you holding that weapon so tightly?"

"I saw what you did to the boy at your camp, that was evil." I told him as he lowered his head.

"Murphy is my friend; he understood why I did what I did. It was to show people that I don't pick favorites."

Poor wording choices. "So if I was in your camp and they realized I wasn't from your ship… you would hurt me to show them that you risk no favoritism?"

He took in a deep sigh, "That's not what I meant. He was accused of murder Zara. I couldn't just not let anything happen… and it's not like Clarke is easy to deal with, she's the reason any of that happened in the first place."

I smirked; "So you do show favoritism than? You will punish an innocent man when he is accused, however will not punish a girl for wrongfully accusing someone and allowing them to be beaten till near death? That's very interesting, Bellamy. Here I was thinking you where a good person."

He moved closer to me taking hold of my wrist and lowering my arm away from him. "Zara, please if I wanted to harm you, or was willing to let anyone harm you I would have told people where to find you. They want to kill your people, because they think they're a threat to us."

I ripped my wrist from his grip; "If you had cared to come back and visit like you had told me you'd know… my people are a risk to your camps safety. My people just finished a civil war for new leadership… our new leader isn't the kind of person who treads lightly on invaders."

He cocked his head to the side; "I take it a lot has happened in the past month." Was all he said.

"Why did you alert me to you being here Bellamy?" I asked him as I watched him walk towards the edge of the hill and toss the metal contraption into the river.

"Don't act like you understand why I never came back to see you Zara. I didn't want to raise any suspicions, they all see me a certain way and in order for me to keep them safe I need to keep it that way. I can't show weakness and you Zara… are a weakness to me." He told me walking towards me.

"I did go back to find you, you where gone." He told me softly before walking back towards the forest before turning to face me one last time.

"Stay safe Zara… if what's happening is as bad and dangerous as you say it is… keep safe." He told me before running off into the woods. I shook my head and returned to the home I had made in the cave to find Murphy already cooking the meat over the fire so we could put it in a stew.

"You take forever to go for walks to get 'other' stuff," He teased.

"Sorry, got distracted and disrupted."

John just nodded before turning back to his cooking. Hours later John and I found ourselves sitting outside the cave watching the stars. He was telling me all about his life up in space, the days they where on the ground. Telling me everything about his life and everything about everyone who was down here with him. Basically he was ending my curiosity of his people and the camp he came from.

"When Atom died, Octavia seemed to go kind of nuts… I mean she was pissed at Bellamy when it wasn't even his fault she just went crazy." He continued saying.

"What's that?" I interrupted him pointing to the bright pink lights up in the air.

"Flares?" He questioned not really knowing himself.

"There right above a Village… there going to devastate it…" I said feeling the heat rush up to my head.

"That was probably Clarke's idea." He said, "She doesn't know how to use her brain before doing something."

"This Clarke girl sounds like a whole lot more trouble than she's worth. I mean you did say how she's the reason behind your assault, she let Charlotte hurt herself, these flares are her fault… if she's supposed to be a leader she's pretty terrible at making the proper decisions." I explained. John just started laughing uncontrollably.

"At least someone agrees with me, finally." He smiled.

"You realize them possibly destroying an entire village means my people will seek out retaliation and revenge." I told him as he nodded, "As long as they know I had nothing to do with it, that's fine with me."

I took a deep breath, "I'm afraid after that, they wont see it that way… You're an outsider, and came from the sky. That makes you an equal in their punishments in my peoples eyes."

The next morning I woke up in the cave to John coming back from being out. I wasn't sure where he'd left to or what trouble he got himself into but I was pretty happy to see he had eggs, and some fruit with him.

"You're getting better I see."

He chuckled; "Yea, a bit. I finally figured out how you get into the trees… only took me a week, I got some eggs… did you want breakfast?" He asked me.

"Sure, I have to leave a bit later… I have to go see someone about the flares. Will you be alright here on your own?"

He nodded, "I was going to practice stalking and hunting today anyway."

I nodded, "You should be trying to learn how to fish, and possible medicines." Chuckling I wondered over to him and took the food he finished making for me.

I had sat there with him all afternoon, sharpening our weapons. Well… his knives, my arrowheads, and daggers. I stopped when he reminded me about my visit to Lincoln. Not that he knew whom I was going to see or why I was going to see him. All he needed to know was that he had to be back in this cave before dark, and if he left to put heavy paints on his face to seem like he is one of us. That was all he needed to do to keep safe.

"Well I should be back before the morning, I'm not sure how long the trip will take but be safe." I told him before leaving the cave and running as fast as my legs would take me heading towards Lincoln's home.

Once I had gotten there I pasted a darker skinned boy dead on the ground, this couldn't be good. This meant that John's old group was out here, why they would want to be in hunter territory baffled me. This is where they had left all the bodies of anyone who refused to join. Warnings.

I managed to find yet another body impaled on a trap, another speared to a tree. I shook my head and ran up the side of a tree grabbing onto the rope and climbing up the rest of the way before using the trees to get to Lincoln's place to avoid being seen by either group that were chasing each other through the forest.

I was curious if my brother was amongst the hunters chasing the Ark people. Probably not knowing he's the new leaders possible mate, she would probably keep him close to her as a personal guard. I watched as Lincoln entered his cave behind a young girl and climbed down from the tree waiting for him to leave once again. Which didn't take to long.

"Should I even ask what that's about?" I asked him once he climbed back out, he jumped clearly being startled by me which only made my grin grow.

"Anya took the girl in, after hearing about how the young girl killed one of her own people. She was more than welcome into the new clan, as have you been accepted." I nodded to him.

"What about the girl down there." I asked.

"I'm keeping her safe." I rolled my eyes, "You mean you are attracted to her and have no other way to be with her?" I smirked.

"Sure, look… she asked me to go protect her brother… stay in the cave with the girl, and remember… say not a word… pretend you understand but can't talk back. If her people come after me, it's the only way to keep you safe." He told me before running off.

I climbed into his cave and sat just outside the entrance where the girl was, I was not about to go in there and deal with yet another startled and confused person from the sky. John told me enough about the young girls that came down to make me not want to be near them.

I stood up when I heard the stone above me move. It was dark now, much darker than I had thought it was. Lincoln dropped down next to me smirking before leading me into the cave where he walked towards the girl. I stayed a short ways back from the two of them giving them their space.

She whipped around smacking Lincoln in the head with a rock, pushing him to the ground then turned to me. "Let me go!" She yelled trying to move closer to me only to toss the stone at me hitting me square in the gut. I dropped down to my knees in pain collapsing onto my side watching as she took something from Lincoln's hand and returning to the corner she was in.

I could hear footsteps coming from behind me; sincerely hoping it was my brother thinking I was here with Lincoln and coming to check up on me. Maybe put the girl in her place, however I was wrong. It was three young boys and a girl from the Ark camp. I from the ground couldn't really tell who any of them where until I started hearing names.

"Monroe watch the entrance." A deep voice told the girl as she took off leaving the three of them standing around.

"Bellamy!" The girl in the corner yelled to him as he ran over to her helping her with the chains around her wrists as another young man with long brown hair knelt down next to me rolling me onto my back, he placed his hand on my stomach gently looking at me closely.

The boy who was stuck to the tree leaned over me as well, studying me just like the other boy. "She's actually really good looking, I thought grounder girls would be ugly." Goggles said, as the other boy shook his head standing up and going over to Lincon whose eyes where on me the entire time.

It almost happened in one swift movement, Lincoln jolted upwards stabbing the shaggy haired boy in the stomach. Followed closely by attacking Bellamy. The two where on the ground fighting as I crawling my way over to the boy who was just stabbed moving the clothing from his stomach gently looking at the wound.

"Don't touch him!" The brown haired girl Lincoln had taken yelled at me as I moved away. I watched as goggles picked up the stone that I'd been hit with and quickly smacked Lincoln in the head with it knocking him out.

"Chain them up." Bellamy ordered as he turned realizing I was the female grounder in the cave, he lowered his head and began to help goggles tie me and Lincoln up then leaving quickly with the rest of his people to take their injured back to their camp.

"Lincoln…. Lincoln wake up!" I begged looking over at my unconscious friend. I could only imagine how terrible this would be, I didn't even know if anyone knew where we were or if they would come looking for Lincoln.

I should have shown John where I was going, told him to come here after a certain time. I couldn't understand why Bellamy had chosen to chain us up. I couldn't help but feel my body aches from the chains around my wrists. After hours of being chained up like this was probably not good for ones health. Let alone comfort that much I could agree on. I was completely uncomfortable.

"You two take the man; we'll take the girl. We have the storm on our side, their people won't even know we came in here let alone took two of their people… so lets hurry up." I heard Bellamy's voice.

How long was he gone for? Without seeing the sunrise or fall I couldn't even be sure how many hours or days had pasted by. All I knew was how tired, hungry and wanted to get out of here and back to my own cave where it was safe and at least I had a bed, someone to talk to.

They dragged us through the forest; Lincoln woke up only to be subdued instantly. I personally didn't see a point in fighting with them. They have knives and would probably kill me if I even tried to escape them at this point. The one boy dragging me hit me with something because the last thing I saw before everything went black where the gates of their camp.


	6. Chapter 6

**Name change - Enya - Zara (Because of Anya the grounder, just to make it easier to read/write)**

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I opened my eyes looking around the room to find I was chained standing up. I stood there feeling completely exposed; they had removed my jacket and sweater. Leaving me standing there in my ripped jeans, white tank and boots. My head felt like it was about to swell the size of a watermelon.

"Hush…" I heard a voice say turning to see Lincoln was next to me with the exact same predicament. They had taken his entire clothing save for his pants and boots as well.

I as far as I could tell there was no one besides the two of us in the room. However like Lincoln said I wouldn't say a word no matter what they threatened me with. My arms felt like they where going to lose all feeling in them, same with my legs.

I heard a noise off to the side taking all my attention away from Lincoln and to the small hatch that was now showing me Bellamy and a few of his friends. They did not look like they where nice people, they in fact looked like they intended us harm. By the looks of Lincoln they had already gotten under way.

"I'll ask again," I heard Bellamy say. "What is your name?" Bellamy asked him the tone in his voice less then thrilled.

How long have they been at this? Hours? "What's her name?" He asked as a boy grabbed me roughly by the neck forcing me to look at Lincoln. "Is she with you?" The boy asked.

"Are you his bed side pal?" The boy asked me sniffing the length of my neck causing Lincoln to fight around with his chains causing Bellamy to make the guy walk away from me.

"She's important to you isn't she?" He asked him, "Good, now answer me." Bellamy threatened. "Or I promise you will never see her again." Lincoln looked to me as I shook my head at him.

"Where's your camp?" He asked as he took my chain down and put my hands tightly behind my hand forcing me to my knees. "How many of you are there?" He continued to ask.

"Do you want me to hurt her?" He asked Lincoln as one of the boys took Bellamy's attention only for him to drag me over with him, causing me to struggle in the chains.

They where looking in Lincoln's Antidote box, anti-venoms, poisons, I had one just like it back home. They then found his journal; he would draw in it from time to time. That's when Bellamy looked towards Lincoln than to the girl that was in Lincoln's cave. I could see the fumes pushing off Bellamy.

"Don't want to answer me that's fine, once this storm is over… this is the last time you will see your mute friend here." Bellamy told Lincoln.

I would have been frightened had I not spoken to Bellamy, he knew I could talk. He knew I understood what they where saying which means he must know Lincoln can speak too. So he must have known that threatening him to hurt me would do nothing.

As sad as it sounds, I was completely and utterly prepared to die, I would die for my people. Was that strange? That I would die just so they wouldn't find my home? Did I even have a home to tell them about? Lincoln did say that there where several pathways lined with the bodies of my old home… he said Anya took over.

Great so now I'd be dying for not telling them about something that's not there for them to even know about. Wonderful. Lincoln began to pull against his chains roughly looking towards me fear in his eyes. I shook my head and lowered it to the ground. His only way of staying alive was by not talking. Once either of us told them anything we weren't useful anymore.

The blonde girl emerged from the ground hatch and looked over at Bellamy. "What are you doing? I didn't even see you bring the second one in… Bellamy…" She began to warn him.

"Clarke why are you even up here, I thought you where saving Finn." He sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"He poisoned Finn, the knife has he said anything? I need him to tell me what one to use." She said her voice beginning to fill with panic. I looked over at Lincoln, knowing exactly what that meant for one if not both of us. Torture.

I had my eyes squeezed shut the entire time they where hurting Lincoln, I couldn't look. I didn't dare watch what they where doing to him it was monstrous. I could hear him grunting in pain, to him shouting in pain. I would trade places with him if I could, I couldn't even open my eyes to look at him.

When I finally did muster up the courage to look at him I saw a girl rubbing wires together causing lights to shoot out of it. No that's not what she was doing; she was going to electrocute him. I looked at Lincoln begging him to let me trade places with him. However he just shook his head and took the pain.

The girl from the cave picked up the knife near me much to my moving to stop her from grabbing it she put the knife to her arm and cut it causing Lincoln to stop moving. Kneeling in front of him she began to point at all the bottles asking him which one till she stopped and handed the right one over to the blonde girl as she and the other left the room along with the girl from the cave.

I'm assuming if I knew their names talking about them would be a whole ton easier than just saying what they look like. Even in my head that makes me dizzy. A few of the guys left the room leaving Bellamy up there with us before he took looked at me with pity and left Lincoln and I alone.

I perched onto my knees and made my way over to Lincoln who just smiled down on me. "You where brave Enya…" he told me.

"Brave? You can't be serious I sat there and did nothing while you where being tortured like an animal… by animals." I harshly whispered to him.

"He won't hurt you Enya. As much as I would love to kill the boy, he doesn't look like he was ever intending on hurting you. He moved you away from me, almost as if he knew if something where to happen people would forget that you where in the room." I shook my head.

"I refuse to believe someone capable of what he did to you, is also capable of caring for someone they barely know."

Lincoln grinned, "I know he and the young girl where in the cave with you during their first fog storm… the girl told me, she also told me how every time he and her where alone he would talk about you as if you where some mythical being."

I had to admit knowing that did make me smile, however what he did to Lincoln, and what he let happen to him where both very inexcusable things in my book. I shook my head and looked back up at Lincoln.  
"No, I don't care he was nice to me… but this… this its horrible Lincoln. He could have killed you." I told him.

"But he didn't, and I doubt he would have let them get that far with me… His sister would leave this camp."

"You don't know that Link, you don't know if she feels for you like you feel for her… You took care of her for a day maybe less… how can you be so sure she feels the same. I spent a day with Bellamy and this is exactly what I was afraid of happening." I explained.

"Enya, calm down." Lincoln said finally, "Wait." He shushed me as the hatch opened and the blonde girl came back up and began to attempt to clean all of Lincoln's wounds, which included a stab wounds, a spike through his hand, many lacerations to his face and chest. I wasn't even going to attempt at counting all the bruises and minor cuts.

I watched from the corner she had led me to, he refused to let her touch him. It was understandable in a way; she was the one who asked Bellamy to torture information out of him. Even if it was to save someone's life she still basically asked for it to happen. The girl from the cave came into the room soon after and walked over to the blonde girl.

"Clarke… let me." She said.

Blondie's name is Clarke. Noted.

Clarke seemed frustrated with Lincoln and dropped the rag into the water before moving aside from him letting the other girl take over. I looked over at Lincoln, his eyes gazing upon the girl with such tenderness and care. I wanted someone to look at me that way, like they cared for me, like I was special. The blonde girl soon left a the girl from the cave looked between Lincoln and I.

"They didn't hurt you too did they?" She asked me as I shook my head as if to say no.

"Good, I mean Bellamy hurting you was one thing… but you weren't even involved." She said to me as I shrugged. I wanted so badly to tell her 'Wrong place, Wrong time.' Was my exact problem?

"My name is Lincoln." I heard him say causing my head to shoot up and hers to spin around to me.

"You two can talk? I knew it!" She said excitedly.

"My names, Octavia… what about you?" She said looking at me.

I looked to Lincoln as he nodded, I suppose telling me we could trust her. Funny, he and my brother both told me we couldn't trust these people and yet here we are. Trusting the bubbliest one I've met.

"Zara." I told her softly.

"Wait… you're Zara… I thought Zara was a girl back on the Ark." She said causing my face to pale.

Bellamy actually spoke about me here to his people? Why would he do that? That could only cause him problems; I thought I would be kept some secret. "I'm a Zara, probably not the same one." I told her as she smirked.

"Oh I bet your one in the same, explains why Bellamy ordered everyone to stay away from you. He told them you where his to deal with, and his only. I knew it the second he said it, that you where the girl he was talking about the other day." She said causing my cheeks to flush.

"Good things I hope." I told her. Lincoln than captured her attention once again before a boy came up the ladder and told Octavia to leave, forcing Lincoln and I into silence once again as this boy sat on the other side of the room watching the two of us intently.

The boy noticed us both looking at each other than to him and stormed over grabbing the chains that where holding my hands to the ground. He took the slack and pulled me right up into his face. "What is he telling you?" He shouted at me causing me to jolt in fear trying to move away from him as Lincoln began to fight against his chains.

"Oh don't like when I treat your pet this way? Huh?" He asked Lincoln harshly.

The boy moved closer to me smelling the crook of my neck taking in deep whiffs of my natural smell I suppose. I usually smelt like flowers… it was often what I boiled and rubbed all over my skin. However what was going on reminded me of what John had told me about.

The boy was trying to hold me closer to him pressing himself against me; I was starting to wish John had told me what to do in situations like this. He just told me what it was, and that it was horrible. "Miller, I said not to touch her. Or did you not hear me?" I heard Bellamy's voice come from behind the boy currently hurting me.

I felt him let go of me dropping me violently to the floor as the boy walked over to Bellamy saying something to him causing the two boys to chuckle before "Miller" left the room. He left the both of us alone with Bellamy, something I wasn't sure was a good thing or not.

"Did he hurt you?" Bellamy asked as he rushed towards me lifting me off the ground and pulling a crate over for me to sit down on kneeling in front of me.

"No, he didn't… but you hurt Li-Him, you let them torture him… Bellamy you tortured a man." I said staring at him.

He lowered his head; "I was only trying to protect my people, your people would have done the same."

I moved my hands placing them over his knee looking up at him as he was shocked by my actions. "I wouldn't have tortured someone for information… good always wins over evil. That's the kind of leader I hope to be someday if I ever lead."

"You will lead our people one day Zara." I heard Lincoln say from beside us. Bellamy went to look at him but I lifted my hands up to his cheek stopping him from looking away from me.

"Be the kind of leader, you want to be lead by Bellamy. This evil inside you is a taint… it's not you. You do not need to be wicked to survive…" I told him as I felt his smile against my hand as he put his hand over mine taking it away from him.

"I'd let you both go if I could, Zara… you're safer here than out in that forest."

"Bellamy." I sighed. "I know you won't let us go for more reasons than the forest. Our people have survived those forest, lakes, oceans, for years without trouble… so what is the real reason?" I asked him.

"Once you're out there… my people won't see you as leverage anymore. They'll see a target, I can keep your safe here… out there if anything happens… if your people attack us." He said pausing. "I wont be able to stop anyone."

Lincoln scoffed before looking away. "I would like to see them try to attack my people, bigger threats have tried and we're still here." I told him calmly.

Bellamy nodded, "We're moving you." He told me suddenly. "Me?" I asked pulling my hands to my chest.

Bellamy nodded; "I'm putting you in my own tent, away from all my people. You'll be there till I can figure out how else I can keep you safe." He said to me.

"Keep me safe by letting us go, nothing we could tell you if we knew anything would be of any use to you. He lives on his own, he's not apart of the others. He's an outcast, he's been keeping me safe and away from my people because my brother thinks that I'm in danger. See nothing useful." I told him.

"Then why can't he answer for himself?" He asked me.

"Bellamy, the moment your people realize we can talk… we're as good as dead, they wont let you … just let us go." I told him.

"No, but its not up to them, I'll talk to Clarke see about having you join our people… better off in plane sight then hidden away." He told me as I shook my head.

"Please… just let us go." I told him softly, however that was to fall on deaf ears as Bellamy soon left the room only to be replaced by one of his people guarding us.


	7. Chapter 7

**Name change - Enya - Zara (It was getting confusing writing her and Anya talking, sorry :( )**

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The days seemed to pass Lincoln and I sitting in a room, guards interchanging each day. Octavia coming in secretly to feed us and give us water. They would let us go to the washroom with a guard watching us which might I add… is incredibly uncomfortable. I sat there on the ground staring at Lincoln as the guards where gone leaving us a lone for a few moments.

"Zara listen to me." Lincoln said softly catching my attention.

"The next time they let us go outside to the bathroom, I am going to create a distraction. I want you to run as fast as you can and get to Anya's camp… it's near the only ruins… you know them… your mother took you there as a child… get there and tell her what happened tell her they took us." He continued.

"I am not leaving you here Lincoln." I sighed.

"You don't have a choice… they beatings they give me will soon grow worse… and the boys affections for you wont last long… they will turn on you." He told me. I shook my head, "He has no affections for me… he's not hurting me because he doesn't want to hit a girl."

"Zara." Lincoln's voice grew stern.

I lowered my head; "He likes you, don't play coy I can tell he does… the way he looks at you even from a side glance is the way I look at Octavia… its longing." He explained to me.

"Then I will be the distraction… you go get our people… then rescue me." I told him as he chuckled… "If I leave and you stay his people will demand you be punished or killed for helping me escape." I lowered my head again taking a long deep sigh.

"Fine…" I finally gave in.

The steel door in the floor opened again to show Bellamy, a face I hadn't seen in a week. He came up and barricaded the door as he walked over to me kneeling before me placing a water sack next to me along with a few apples and a small pouch. "I'm leaving." He told me calmly.

"So you came up here why?" I asked him angrily as Lincoln growled.

"I mean, where too?"

Bellamy smirked; "My people are coming down here in two days… I did some pretty horrible things when I was up there… Look… I have to leave." He said causing me to arch my brow.

"Then take me with you." I told him. "Don't leave me here… wait till dark let us go… your people will kill us… no questions asked…"

Bellamy lowered his head, "I can't … I … Clarke thinks I'm going with her to get supplies from-" I cut him off.

"The old bunker a few miles west of here… I know it… I know of it." I paused. Bellamy smiled pushing a few lose strands of hair away from my face and tucking it behind my ear. "Trust me; if I could run away with anyone it'd be you Zara."

"Don't make me blush pretty boy." I smirked causing him to smile softly before looking away from me.

"Be careful Zara…" He told me kissing my forehead before leaving.

"He told you where to find him…" Lincoln said slowly.

"Yea so? I'm stuck in here." I mumbled taking a bite out of the apple.

"Means he knows something… check that pouch." He told me as I picked the pouch off the ground, smiling wickedly. "What is it?" Lincoln asked.

"They're eating Jobi nuts Lincoln… I don't think Bellamy realizes it either." Lincoln chuckled.

"Then he must know something why else would he tell you exactly where he's going?" I shrugged, "He also said he was moving me to his tent to be safer look how promising that was." I snarled causing Lincoln to chuckle more.

"Shh someone is coming." He told me as the two of us sat there me hiding the small amount that Bellamy had given me.

It was the same boy from earlier. Miller. He got up the ladder and shut the hatch behind him as he slowly made his way towards Lincoln studying him intently, "You two are going to get what's coming to you in two days time." He said aggressively.  
In an essence I understood why he was so hateful towards my people, but at the same time I had no idea why the hate was directed towards Lincoln and I specifically.

Sure they found Lincoln with Octavia, chained to a wall in his cave which. I can see how that probably looked, and they found me knocked out on the ground in the same cave. However blaming us for the deaths of all their friends regardless just didn't make sense. I looked over to the boy Miller wanting to apologize for the loss of his friends because I really was sorry that they where dead. However in doing so he would know we could talk, and in they're language which would just sign our date of death certificates much quicker.

Hours had passed this way, the three of us sitting in absolute silence. Every so often Miller would look at Lincoln or I almost as if to make sure we where still there. As if were going to magically break free of our chains and vanish into thin air. He had some active imagination if that's what he thought was going to happen. Taking in a deep breath I leaned back at the exact moment the hatch opened for the third time today. I leaned my body forward trying to see who it was that was coming up the ladder. Hoping it was Bellamy, and that he hadn't left me here to die in the hands of his people.

I could feel the disappointment aching in my chest when I saw that it was Octavia who was now standing next to Miller. I couldn't hear what the two where saying, but she didn't look too happy to be in the room, let alone near Miller. Why she would even bother coming up here if she hated being near the guys. That was when I watched her pass him a tiny pouch of Jobi nuts. What was she up too; she then looked between Lincoln and I smirking softly at me before returning down the hatch.

She knew exactly what the nuts where capable of. She had to have known what they where capable of why else would she have so happily handed them over to a boy she most clearly didn't like. I looked over at Lincoln he nodded smiling softly to me as the two of us watched the boy munch on the Jobi nuts that Octavia had given him not to long ago. We then got the pleasure of watching the effects of them take over the young man. He soon got up and left us alone explaining that he needed to count all the stars in the sky to make sure that they didn't get lost.

Octavia once again appeared to us as she walked back up the ladder and tossed a bunch of men's clothing on the ground for Lincoln and my own clothing in front of me as she walked over to me cutting all the ropes that had been holding me in place. Once I was freed she made her way over to Lincoln to do the same as I pulled my jacket and sweater towards myself pulling them back on. I stood up and made my way over to where the young girl was.

"Why are you helping us?" I asked her as she finished cutting all of the ropes holding Lincoln in place.

"This is wrong on so many levels." She told me. "You two need to go… now." She told us, as Lincoln finally seemed to realize he had no strength to stand on his own and collapsed to his feet.

She began to quickly put a sweater on over Lincoln followed closely by a jacket before ushering me to help her hold him up so the two of us could get to the ladder and out of the camp. "Why are you doing this?" Lincoln asked her again.

"Just get dressed." She said her voice seeming rushed.

"They're gonna know you helped us." I told her as she looked up at me, chewing the inside of her cheek.

"Yea well he said if you two say here you'd both die." She explained. "I'm not gonna let that happen."

"I'm not gonna put you in danger." Lincoln told her.

"You both need to leave now." She repeated herself.

"Fine," Lincoln said sounding defeated. "But even in these clothes, they'll recognize me." He told her.

"Yea well, they're seeing plenty of things right now." She scoffed.

"Help me get him up." She said to me as I rushed to his other side slinging his arm over my shoulder pulling him up off the ground into a standing position. "She's right Lincoln… they wont even see us." I told him as he nodded.

"What did you do anyway?" I asked her.

"Let's just say I sent out some of our winter rations a little early." She smirked.

"How will you guys survive?" I asked her as Lincoln chuckled.

"Jobi nuts, the food you gave our guard… you gave it to your whole camp?" He asked.

She looked up at Lincoln confused, "What are Jobi nuts?" She asked me.

"Well these nuts, when they go bad they can cause visions, and hallucinations, it wears off… after a few hours…" I explained.

"Ah, look just try to get as far away as you both can." She then said pushing us both towards the hatch. "And uh, try not to get yourselves killed." She smiled.

"Trying is the key word." I smiled back at her.

I opened the hatch and began to climb down, realizing neither where following me I looked up just in time to watch the two of them kiss. Smiling to myself I continued down the ladder till I reached the ground floor and waited there in a dark corner for the two of them to follow me. Lincoln and I soon found ourselves exiting the ship we had been kept captive in, we where almost home free before we ran into our of the camps occupants. Not just any of them, the one Lincoln had stabbed, the one he was tortured into telling them about the antidote. The boy he nearly let die.

I was still half supporting Lincoln's weight as we continued to watch the boy as he stood there his eyes settled on us. They boy watched us for what felt like a life time before he nodded his head behind himself and moved out of our way as Lincoln jetted off towards the exit of the camp. I looked at the boy moving closer to him, "Thank you…" I said softly before following suit and running towards the exit of the camp and fleeing into the woods.

"Lincoln!" I shouted ahead as the man I was travelling with slowly came to a halt waiting for me to catch up to him. He stood there impatiently for me to finally walk over to him.

"What is it? We need to get to Anya's camp." He told me, "Well you need to get to her camp." I shrugged; "I will meet you their… go… you need to see the healer." I told him softly as he ran off away from me.

I nodded to myself before turning around and heading off to the cave that I had left Murphy in a week or so ago, hoping that he was still there and alive. I soon came to a halt when I heard footsteps moving through the woods signaling me that someone was near. I moved my self around a tree staying hidden as I watched Bellamy and the Clarke girl walk past talking about protecting the camp against grounder invasions. They had piles of guns on their arms as they continued walking towards their camp.

Positive note at least Bellamy was back in his camp. Not that I cared where he was after the past week or so of all that wonderful treatments. I just I guess I liked knowing where to find him if that was in fact something I needed to do. Shrugging off finding the two of them as nothing I continued making my way back towards my cave.

I was happy to see a dim light glowing from deep inside only to find as I had gotten closer that it was because the entire cave was burning, there was a fire inside almost like someone put a ton of dry leaves or kindling inside and let the entire inside burn up. I lowered my head as I feel to my knees had my people find Murphy? Of course they did, they probably killed him just because he was one of them.

"Zara." A dark woman's voice suddenly came from behind me startling me.

"Do not fear me; you know who I am." The woman said as I stood up and turned around to face her. It was Anya, of course I knew who she was. All our people knew who she was, one of the fiercest of our warriors. And now the leader of all my people, I wondered if Hannibal was still alive. I doubted highly that Hannibal was still alive, even less than I had doubted Murphy being alive still.

"I do." I said to her.

"Then you must come with me, these woods are not safe for you anymore." She told me.

"I had a friend in this cave… where is he? Did you kill him?" I asked her as she shook her head.

"The fire was in case his people knew he was in here, he is at my camp. Along with the young girl you sent with Lincoln. She is also safe and in the camp." She told me as I smiled.

The walk from the cave to her camp was a long one, once we had exited the forest we walked through the fields and meadows till we finally reached the next forest. More walking. The woman was on a horse as where many of her men, I had chose to walk along side her not realizing how far this camp really was. The way both Lincoln and my brother had talked about it, the camp seemed rather close.

Looking back on my choice of pride and walking next to our new leader. I wish I had chosen to ride on the back of her horse into the camp. Once we finally arrived at her camp I saw my brother leaning against the biggest hut. He was standing there speaking to a few men before he noticed me running towards me.

"Finally." He breathed out to me. "You where supposed to be here ages ago."

"I was a tad tied up with things." I told him looking at the ground.

"What do you mean?" Anya asked; "The boy in the cave said you had gone for a walk and to hunt and never returned for days."

"I was…" I said looking at the two of them trying to choose my words carefully; worried that Bellamy's fate along with all his peoples was in my hands. "They had captured… Lincoln and I…"

They both continued to stare me down waiting for some sort of explanation of some sort of description of what had been done to the two of us. How we were handled in their care. My answers to either of those questions would likely end up in the total annulation of their entire camp. "We… Lincoln…" I began to say.

"They tortured Lincoln to learn about our people, how many of us there are. What we want, our names, they beat him, a girl shot sparks through him… only one was kind enough to feed us both and clean up Lincoln's wounds." I told them.

Anya raised her head up high looked down at me, "What about you?" She asked. "They didn't torture you?"

I shook my head; "One boy had tried to hurt me, defile me but their leader told him he was not allowed to go anywhere near me." I said sounding a little to happy as I reminisced over Bellamy protecting me.

"This leader. The one who tortured Lincoln, and protected you… what is his name?" She asked me.

"They have two leaders; Bellamy and Clarke." I told her.

"Clarke." She said softly thinking, "Your friend John, told us about them both… they sound lovely." She said sarcastically.

"Bellamy isn't so bad… he is actually very kind…Well to me he is kind." I told her.

"That is what the young girl said too, however he tortured one of our people… kindness seems to only run as deep as his sexual arousal or need to care for a child." She said.

"I told you to stay away from that camp." My brother warned.

"I was going to see Lincoln!" I yelled.

They both continued to stare at me; "I went for a walk to clear my head… I went to Lincoln's cave to see he had one of their people chained up… she subdued us both with a rock and then they took us I wasn't near their camp." I yelled back.

"I'll assume you saw their pink lights not to long ago?" She asked me I nodded confirming that I had seen them. Murphy and I watched them as they shot up high into the sky, I remembered that night.

"They destroyed a small village not to far away from here… it killed everyone there where no survivors, young and old all dead… gone in a fiery grave. That is the doing of your little boyfriend… those people are ruthless killers, they will soon come begging us for peace…peace for a war they started, a war they know they cannot end." She told me loudly capturing the attention of many people in the camp.

"If they think we will ever agree to the terms of peace they have another thing coming… Ullie." She said turning to a large man, "Prepare the boy… he must help us with our cause or die." She told him.

"No! Don't hurt Murphy he did nothing wrong!" I yelled as my brother held me back. Anya who was walking away turned to face me. "Considering if you had not found him, his people where planning on leaving him for dead anyway… I don't exactly seeing him not wanting to help us… he must look tortured, to give off the air of being held captive by us." She said to me.

"You and him will tell us everything you know about that camp, and everyone in it." She told me; "Prepare the warriors for battle, the war of these lands is still not over." She shouted loudly causing all the people in the camp to cheer as she walked away from me.

"Rhys… how can you let her do this?" I cried to him falling to my knees. "We have no choice Zara… Lincoln arrived a while before you and Anya did…. He told us they have more people come down here… even if these ones opted for peace with us and where willing to honor the agreement… the people coming down, the older ones… will not accept it. It's too late for peace, they told their people up in the sky that we are killers… so when they come down they will start another war." He told me as I nodding, may as well accept what is going on.

"Can you guys at least leave Bellamy alive… for me?" I asked.

"Zara…." He said softly; "He is they're leader… Anya will kill him and the girl Clarke first… you know this…. We kill them as a message to the rest of their people." I shook my head.

"Than I hate you for not trying to stop that…"

"What do you want Zara… what will make you happy? I cannot talk her into peace, our people will not stand for it."

"I want Bellamy… you make sure Anya promises him to me alive and I will fight along side her in battle as her third… all warriors train two younger protégés. If she allows me to have him… I will be her third."

My brother shrugged whilst sighing; "I will talk to her… all right… now go that hut over there is for you… the young girl Charlotte is inside… we kept her safe and fed. She is far to young to be treated like her people will be… and maybe someday… she will be your second." He told me as he too walked away in the direction Anya had gone to.

I wasted no time at all rushing towards the hut to find Charlotte lying on a small bed sleeping. Her chest rising and falling, the soft sounds of an enjoyed sleep escaping her mouth. I watched her sleeping; just standing they're in the doorway of the hut. I hadn't seen the beautiful Charlotte since the day I took Murphy in. He had explained everything to me about her killing the boy at their camp, him being blamed for it.

I think he learned to let go of his ill feelings towards Charlotte, however he also likely assumed she was dead like her entire camp had thought. I knew he hated Bellamy, I could see it in his face whenever I had mentioned him. Or asked him about his time in that camp. I however think he may have hated they're other leader Clarke more.

He wouldn't tell me why he didn't like the girl, but I could only assume it was her ability to get whatever it was she wanted. She didn't seem to have a care for how things worked she seemed very naïve. I am one to talk; I am probably more naïve that she is. Unlike her who can see the good and the bad in people, I tend to only see the good. I didn't like thinking people where capable of being horrible. I mean of course I knew they where I just hated thinking of it that way.

I turned to leave the hut so that Charlotte could keep sleeping, I would just talk to her when she woke up. However not only my thoughts, but my actions and Charlottes sleep where all interrupted by the shrill sound of terror screaming through the air. I knew right away that it was Murphy screaming in pain. They where torturing him, and if I knew my people's techniques like I did…the pain was only about to get worse from here.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey so, I changed Enya's named to Zara (Pronounced Zar-ha not Zer-ha, that's how I pronounced it in my head, however you wanna say it go ahead lol) anyway I changed it because saying {"Enya said to Anya" or "Anya _" Enya said} was actually starting to confuse me... I started the next chapter called "Enya"- Anya and 'Anya'-Enya... got confused... anyway I edited all the other chapters changing her name. Anywhoooooo**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter :D Wub yeh**

**Vanessa**

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"Zara?" I heard my name being called from behind me.

I turned around quickly to see Charlotte sitting there on the small bed they had given her. I smiled at her softly before walking over to her. "Hey, miss me?" I asked her.

"Your English has gotten better…. Have you been to my camp lately? Is everyone ok? Anya said that I have to stay at this camp and have to pretend I am some persons child… she said I can't make any mention of where I'm actually from… why?" She asked so many questions.

Many of the questions she was asking I knew the answer too, like why she would have to pretend to be someone else. Chances are she would have to give up her name as Charlotte for something else. Something from our people, take a family name, likely one of the names of the dead. She would have to forsake her people and if asked join our army like most young girls born into those types of families.

A family like mine; where the women where often raised as breeders, the men as soldiers. However with my sole guardian being my brother it was now entirely up to him which path it would be that I take. Seeing as Anya was requesting for me to take place as her third, I would likely become a combatant like my brother.

I sat down next to the young girl trying to block out the screams of pain coming from John. "Thank you." I said to her as she looked up at me smiling.

I could only imagine once my training was done they would ask me to take Charlotte on as my second. Which I would I would take her on with so much pride. Teaching her the ways of my people would only ensure her survival rate which was something I was more than happy to take on.

"I have, Lincoln and I have been to your camp recently… however the visit was not by choice. We had been taken prisoner, your people they tortured Lincoln." I told her.

"Wait… who tortured him?" She asked her voice quivering with fear for my answer however already knowing what said answer would be.

"Bellamy and some raven haired girl… using some sort of energy Octavia said that it was electricity." I told her. "Your camp however is all right… for now, however Anya is not impressed with them… she hates them. Which means the commander will likely take over and tell her what to do next." I explained.

"What? I thought she was the new leader?" She asked confused as I shook my head.

"She took over this area's army… chances are she will be asked to completely destroy your camp… they had sent up flares not to long ago… it well it destroyed and entire village full of our people… mainly woman and children, farmers and healers… they want your people to pay for our loss of life." I explained to her, "Well that would be my assumption anyway." I told her.

"Wow… is that why she told me not to talk about knowing them? Made me change my clothing and my name?" I nodded, "She did that to keep you alive… she's keeping you alive to keep me happy… which in turn keeps my brother happy…" I told her.

"Just do as Anya says she will keep you safe, until she and the rest of her militants have to leave this village… you will be safe Charlotte… I promise." I told her with a smile.

"Thank you, have you ever met this commander?" She asked me.

"No, I haven't. He came to my mountain side village once, told my leaders to give up control of their people to him… they said no… now they are dead. He sent Anya and a man named Tristan. Look Charlotte… I will be right back… please… try to get some sleep?" I said as she nodded.

"I'm so glad your back… the other children here are great but… I missed you… I'd like to look at you as if you are my older sister… we never had a thing called older siblings where I came from. Octavia is the only person from the Ark with an older brother."

I smiled at her, "Than you can pretend Rhys and I are your brother and sister." I told her with a grin as I gave her a side hug. "I will be back later." I told her as I got up and left the hut.

I walked towards the small building that Anya had brought John to. Walking down the steps into the underground room I looked around for where they would possibly keep prisoners I had to make sure that John was all right. Even though I knew the answer was more than likely a no.

"What are you doing in here?" I heard Anya's voice come from beside me as she leaned against a wall leading down a tunnel. Likely the tunnel I was currently searching for.

"I just want to see John… the boy you're torturing." I told her.

She smirked before moving aside; "Don't try anything funny Zara, I can only make so many deals for you. Considering the one you want us to spare for you is they're leader that's going to be hard enough to pull off…" She said cocking her head to the side.

I just simply nodded at her before moving around her and heading down the tunnel towards John. Upon entering the room, I realized there was more than just one person they where holding here and torturing. The room was filled with cages, almost all of them containing a person. Male, female; that didn't seem to matter, many of the cages held people from my old clan.

Some cages held reapers, how they'd managed to contain one was beyond me. They where horrible creatures, they killed our people for food. They believed consuming another being was like consuming their life source, consuming their strength that was insane. They would never live longer just because they ate a person. They were very clearly crazy.

I walked by a few cages, when I felt a hand slide out of a cage and grab onto my arm. I turned around as the hand let go of me to see who it was that grabbed me. Clearly they must have known who I am if they grabbed me so desperately. However once I looked at they're face and saw whom it was, I was completely and utterly shocked.

"Hannibal?" I said my voice filled with fear, why would they be torturing him? It was a known fact people kept in cages like this where only kept alive for information. Killing Hannibal would only start another war, and uprising. He was after all the nephew of the commander.

"Zara…" he said his voice as weak as he looked.

"Are you ok? Hannibal what are you even doing in here?" I asked him as he looked away from me moving in his cage as if to get more comfortable.

"Zara; they killed everyone in our village… Tristan didn't stop at the men and the elders… he killed the woman and children too… the only reason I'm even still alive is because Anya convinced him that I might know things…" he explained.

"That man is as vile as the Reapers and the Mountain men… it's a wonder your uncle even keeps him around… he should be killed for the things he's done." I spat out moving closer to his cage keeping my hands on the bars.

"Zara…" He said turning to me moving so he was on his knees, his hands clasping over my own. "That's just it. It was my uncle who gave him the order to slaughter them all… he told him to make it look like the Reaper's or the Mountain men did it… he wanted no traces that of our people… you're only alive because of your brother… my days are numbered."

I felt my heart sink into my stomach "Is there no way you Anya can arrange for you to meet with the Commander to reason with him or to ask to join his clan?" I asked him, "Surely he would let you become a hunter or something… anything…."

Hannibal shrugged moving away from me and further into his cage. "Zara; he clearly doesn't even realize I'm still alive. If he does know I'm still alive his intentions were very clear that he wanted my entire family dead."

I lowered my head, "There has to be something… I wont accept this." I said to him.

"I heard Anya and your brother talking, they said that your requested them spare one of the sky people for you… she said that you requested his life in exchange for you becoming her third…" he told me, as I began to chew the inside of my cheek.

"Zara… please reconsider this… ask her to spare me instead… please I beg you." He said his eyes filling with hope and tears.

"Hannibal…" I said softly.

"You owe these people nothing… they chained you up, they tortured one of our own, they would have killed you. You can't possibly want to keep one of them over one of your own." He continued.

"Let me think about it Hannibal." I said as I moved away from his cage and began to walk away. "What is there to think about Zara, they would not hesitate to kill you to save their own. Those people are monsters." He said before I had move far enough away that I could no longer hear his begging.

He was right, I should save one of my own over one of there's. However no part of my mind would even let me consider allowing Bellamy to die. Was what Lincoln said true? Did I harbor feelings towards the boy? He was so bipolar to me; he was so kind and sweet when I first met him, than he tortures Lincoln right in front of me, than is sweet with me again by sneaking me water. I just, couldn't for the life of me understand why I was so attached to the idea of keeping him alive.

I turned a corner walking into a room that was most certainly the room they used to torture people; the stone platform in the center of the room gave it away. As did the many walls and counters filled with torture instruments. There was a single cage in the room, however it was empty. She had made it seem like John was in here, if he was where was he.

I was about to give up and leave the room when I noticed something in the darker corner of the room. It was John he was almost unrecognizable. With cuts and scratches all over his face and arms. I suppose they had started with whips and punches, just a regular beating. He didn't deserve this pain, he was such a kind man.

I walked over to the one side of the room filling a small bowl with cold water from the pot, before walking back towards John placing a hand on his shoulder alerting him that I was there. His eyes flung open fear holding his gaze. I smiled at him softly, "John?" I said keeping my tone calm and trying to not touching him too much incase I hit an open scar.

"Zara?" He questioned me as I nodded to him. "Where… where did you go? You where gone so long… the grounders… your people they… they came, they came and brought me here… I don't know what's going on…" He continued.

"How long have you been here?" I asked him.

"They came the night you left for your walk… they… kept asking me about my camp, everyone in it, everything I knew… I held off for as long as I could… I'm so scared Zara…" He continued to say as he grabbed onto my arm.

It was only than I noticed how bloody his hands where. I placed the bowl down on the ground taking his hands in mine looking them over. They have broken each of his fingernails off; the blood was starting to dry up. This wasn't recent, however most of the scars on his face where. I lowered my head as I picked the bowl up again before looking at him once again.

"Here, drink." I told him as he nodded taking deep gulps of the water once the small bowl had touched his lips.

Where they staring him and not giving him enough water too? What was this kind of torture? I had never even heard of it, staring the person… especially someone of his age. He was of no use to them dead so why would they do such a thing. That's when it hit me, the commander clearly ordered them to do it.

"Thanks." He said once he'd finished all the water.

"I am so sorry John." I told him as my voice filled with sorrow. "You don't deserve this pain, not a single bit of it. This is my fault for leaving." I told him as I lowered my head again.

"Where did you go…" He asked as his voice broke.

"I went to go see a friend, Lincoln." I told him, "When your people ambushed him and I… locking us up in the cave Lincoln was staying in… they came back the next day during that storm…they held us captive for what felt like weeks… they tortured Lincoln… the one girl there Octavia… she helped us escape. I am so sorry John I should have just stayed." I told him.

"I can't believe Bellamy would torture a girl… I knew he would stoop low, but I didn't think he would go that low." He explained as he looked away from me.

"He wouldn't let anyone touch me, actually or even come near me. He snuck me in food and water… he even tried to move me out of there to his tent… so that I could talk and move about freely." I told him.

I looked at John as his eyes where glued to me like I had just told him the world was flat, the sky was green and water was poisonous. He was staring at me with utter disbelief.

"Bellamy protected you?" He asked as I nodded; "Bellamy Blake? Like we're talking about the same guy right?" He asked.

"I guess so, are there other Bellamy's in your camp?" I asked curiously.

"No, fortunately. One is even too much." He spat out.

I heard movement behind me and watched as John's eyes widened with fear, "Your visiting time is up Zara… you can see your friend again tomorrow." I heard Rhys's voice come from behind me.

I smiled at John one last time; "I will be back tomorrow, with food and water… hold on tight John…stay alive." I told him, almost begging him before I stood up and walked towards my brother.

"Really, your starving him… that's disgusting Rhys… that's something Tristan would do." I spat at him before I left the room not giving him a chance to explain or say much of anything to me.

I headed back towards the hut Charlotte was staying in ignoring Hannibal on my way out. I wanted to save him because he was my friend but a large part of me refused to let Bellamy die. I couldn't let him die, but how could I let someone I grew up with die just because I wanted to keep a boy I barely knew safe. I suppose I should ask Charlotte what she thinks. Even for a girl at her age she was still incredibly smart.

"Hey." She said as I entered the hut.

"You're awake."

"Yep, couldn't get back to sleep after you left. Where did you go?" She asked.

"To see a friend, my people aren't exactly being nice to him… either of my friends… Charlotte… can I ask you something?"

She nodded to me sitting up in her bed as I sat down next to her; I sat there staring at the wall for what felt like an eternity. I just sat there trying to put together what I wanted to ask her. How to even ask her, she was after all still a young child. This was never something she would even need to consider. Not this early in life anyway.

"Zara?" She asked me.

"Sorry…" I said shaking my head before turning to her putting my one leg on the bed as I sat down on my foot.

"Charlotte; if you had to chose to save the life of your childhood friend, and a person you barely know but have an indescribable urge to save… who would you save?" I asked her.

"You mean save your friend or save Bellamy?" She asked me.

I scoffed; "I never said it was Bellamy… he held me captive." I said matter-o-factly.

"No, you didn't say it… but it's all over your face… even the indirect mention of him and your face went red like a tomato." She laughed.

"A what?" I said to her slowly.

"A tomato… it's a fruit." She said.

"Weird, anyway what would you pick?" I asked her.

"Well what are your reasons for wanting to save your friend?" She asked me curiously as I leaned back slightly thinking.

Why would I want to save Hannibal? My brother did tell me Hannibal's father's plans for me to be his mating partner. That he had basically grown up knowing I would basically be owned by him. Even without the consent of my guardian. The fact that Hannibal knew this and never told me, still hasn't told me did anger me to no end.

Yet there was Bellamy; even thought he had this hot and cold personality. He still never really lied to me, he did protect me, took care of me even when he knew his people wouldn't want him too. He probably would have let me go too if I had managed to be moved into his tent. He also did look like he regretted what he and the raven haired girl put Lincoln through.

"I suppose I'd save him because he is my friend, I have known him for years… he's one of my people… but he has done nothing but upset me, lie to me and betray me… or so I have been told."

She nodded; "And why would you save Bellamy?" She asked me.

"I 'd save him because I like him… I have this unearthly urge to be near him and know he is ok. Seeing him brings me this weird sense of comfort. He took care of me when your people wanted nothing more than to kill me. He fed me, brought me water… he hasn't yet lied to me…" I said drifting off.

"Suppose you made up your mind." She grinned at me. "This is exciting I like Bellamy." She giggled.

"I suppose I have." I told her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys sorry this update took so long to come out, I've been having some serious stuff going on in my personal life. I didn't want it to effect the story, or anything so i took a break however i am back and you should be expecting updates FAR more frequently. Also sorry this chapter sucks, and yes... Bellamy and Zara action WILL be coming up in the next few chapters.**

* * *

It had been a few days since I last saw Charlotte; I made up my mind explaining to my brother that I wished for him to keep Bellamy safe in exchange for my services as a soldier. Being Anya's number three, normally they only trained one other on the field however she refused to allow anyone but her train me.

I knew my brother better than most; he must have said something to her to make her want me by her side. I could only imagine what they where doing to John back in the village since Anya refused to bring him along with us saying it would be to much to deal with.

I moved away from the camp a little ways sitting on a rock looking out at the small lake before us. "Zara?" I heard my brother say from behind me.

"What is it now?" I asked my voice filling with all kinds of anger towards him.

"I know you're mad at me…" He said his voice softly trailing off.

"Mad? You think I am just mad at you?" I asked my voice now filling with disbelief to his statement. "Rhys… you're making me chose between the life of my childhood friend, John and Bellamy… and you think I'm mad?" I said letting out a harsh chuckle.

"I hate you." I spat at him. "I hope Tristan realizes what you and Anya did to his sister and I hope he makes you chose between, me, Anya and your own life. Than at least we'll be at even odds in the category of bullshit life choices." I told him turning back to the water.

"Zara…" He said putting his hand on my back only for me to shrug it off.

"Lincolns back." I heard Anya's voice come from behind us as the three of us headed back in land towards the camp we'd set up.

There stood Lincoln the scars on his face starting to heal, the man stood tall looking directly at me as he addressed Anya and Rhys. "They want to set up a meeting between you and their leader." He told her.

I looked over at Rhys as he nodded, "Anya, we need to discuss this before giving him an answer." As the two of them nodded walking away from Lincoln and I.

"How are they?" I asked him.

Lincoln smirked; "Bellamy was more than pissed off when he realized you where gone. He thought someone had killed you… Octavia told me he interrogated everyone before Finn finally explained to him that you and I in fact escaped the camp."

I smiled feeling the heat flood my cheeks; "Good to know he missed me." Lincoln shook his head, "This meeting isn't going to go so well is it?" He asked me.

"No. Probably not, from what I know… the Commander isn't happy, he wants the sky people gone. Doesn't even want one of them left." I explained, "This meeting may go their way however it could also very much lean in the favor of the Commander."

Lincoln nodded taking a deep breath; "Suppose this means we need to work together to get these kids out of here." He told me softly.

"There's always Luna." I suggested.

"Yea, my old Clan." He told me. "They may have kicked you out, but Luna apparently took over as Clan leader… and from what I know she still likes you, you two were always close friends." Lincoln nodded.

"True, suppose we'll have to see how this entire thing goes." He told me as my brother and Anya returned.

"I will do this meeting, however we want their girl leader. Clarke. She must attend this meeting, there will be no weapons and we will meet at the bridge." She told him as Lincoln nodded.

"Tomorrow as the sun falls?" He asked her.

She nodded her head; "Yea, sun fall, at the bridge. Clarke. Go tell them Lincoln." She told him as he nodded before taking off into the woods.

"You mean to slaughter their leader at the bridge don't you." I asked not even turning my head to look at her.

"Would you rather we kill your precious sky born boyfriend Zara? Or did you forget I promised to keep him alive for you?" She spat at me.

"I didn't forget, I just think if they're trying to make a truce than maybe we should at least attempt to hear them out before trying to kill them all… Anya their just kids!" I shouted turning to face her, regretting it the moment that I did.

Her hand collided with my own cheek causing me to quickly pull my hand up to cover my now completely sore face from where she'd just slapped it. "Just because you will not be learning how to fight from me, and just because you are Rhys's sister does not give you any special treatments Zara… you will not speak up to me do you understand?" She asked me as I nodded.

"Good, get some rest, you will need to learn how to shoot arrows before we head out to the meeting. You're going to be in the trees waiting for my signal… when I tell you to shoot… you will shoot. Is that understood?" She asked again as I once again nodded.

"Now go." She ordered as I took off towards my small mat on the ground laying on it silently sobbing into the mat in an attempt to fall asleep.

* * *

"Hold your arm steady, draw the string back till your thumb touches your cheek. Perfect, now hold." The man said beside me, "Keep holding, and aim a little bit higher than the target. You have to keep in account the arrow will start to drop the further the target your aiming for is." He continued to explain.

"Release." He commanded me as I let go of the draw watching the arrow glide through the air before it hit the target in front of it.

"Great!" He said to me putting both his hands on my shoulder.

"Can I go eat now?" I asked him as he nodded; "I'll tell Anya you're ready for the bridge. You've been at this since sun rise." He smirked, "And you're finally hitting the target." He mocked me walking off.

I made my way back to the rock overlooking the lake beside the camp where everyone seemed to be making more arrows, or fixing their spears for the ambush they had planned for the bridge. I noticed someone came over and sat next to me, looking out at the water same as me.

"Mom would have welcomed the sky people with open arms… same with father." He told me, "She would have gladly helped them get food, keep them safe, let you be with one of them."

I just kept listening keeping my eyes on the water in front of me as the sun continued to light up the surroundings. "In fact, she would have probably sent you to go greet them… knowing her she would have saw it as a sign of them wanting to rejoin the planet or something. She always knew they would come back."

"And yet here we are going to kill one of their leaders." I spat at him.

"She helped torture Lincoln, Zara. That's not something we can just forget happened." He told me, "Their rockets destroyed an entire village full of women and children. Lincoln told Anya that they plan on having the rest of their people come down. Do you really think their people wont try to do exactly what we're planning? Zara… they're people will kill us all…"

"So we just have to beat them to it." I mocked turning to face him.

"When did you become so out spoken?" He asked me. "What happened to my sweet, innocent curious sister?"

I chuckled; "Remember the day they landed and you abandoned me with Lincoln after nearly killing some of their people after kidnapping one of them?" I asked him as he nodded.

"That was the first day I realized we might actually be worse than the mountain men, the reapers, them." I told him as he watched me. "Than there was the day they kidnapped and tortured Lincoln and myself… and I saw how hard Bellamy fought to keep his people away from me and keep me safe only for you to agree with Anya that he should die. Die for protecting me." I spat at him.

"That was the night I stopped caring about why the grass is green, the mysteries of the world… stopped seeing everything the light touches because in reality that's all just bull shit Rhys… there is no good in this planet… because all the good I've found just gets killed in the end." I told him as I stood up.

"And even though Clarke agreed to torturing Lincoln it was to save the life of one of our own… we would do the exact same thing Rhys… we would do exactly that, torture someone till they helped us… help one of our own." I said shaking my head, "Yet in a few hours we're going to go kill that girl for doing exactly something our people have been doing for generations… sad really." I spat as I walked away from him gathering my bow and quiver awaiting Anya's order to clear the camp.

* * *

We left the camp after a few hours of waiting, Anya and two of her guards getting on their horses heading towards the bridge. We waited there until Lincoln ran up towards us; he slowly made his way towards Anya his eyes steadily on me waiting to see what it is I do next, to see why I was here by Anya's side.

"Clarke is at the bridge waiting for you… we will discuss peace?" He asked her.

Anya nodded; "I spoke to the commander and to Tristan. They have agreed that I hear the terms she sets forth for us."

"No weapons, no archers. Like we promised?" He asked her as she nodded again. Lincoln nodded quickly before turning around and running off towards the bridge.

Once he was a good distance away Anya turned to face one of the men in the group. "Make sure our archers are ready in the trees, a few spear throwers too, just incase. Zara." She said as I turned to face her.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Find a use for yourself, I wont risk them having people on their side of the forest line with weapons of their own. I need you alive… so stay here." She ordered as she tapped the horse leaving for the bridge along side her two fully armed guards.

They're people were going to think she was our leader, the one in charge of the grounders. They wouldn't be more wrong, if they knew the commander was the one now in charge after he had killed Hannibal's father who was the leader of our people. They would regret even bothering to contact our people directly.

The commander won so many battles for our people because of how ruthless and heartless he is. Men, Woman, Children, young or old, he had no care for their lives. You got in the way he would kill you. That was apparent enough by the way he completely slaughtered the old village.

"Sorry Zara, I thought she would put you in the trees. Stay here we'll all be right back." He told me as I nodded and watched as the entire camp emptied.

Why they thought I would stay here by myself was hilarious. I picked up my bow and a quiver and jogged on after everyone making my way to the bridge too. Only I was under it near the soft creek that used to be a large riverbed.

I stayed out of sight for the archers, but close enough I would be able to hopefully hear anything that was said. Well that was until I noticed Bellamy and two others hiding slightly in the grass line. Why were they here?

That was when my eyes locked with Bellamy's… I could only hope all of his people walked away from this death trap meeting alive. Considering not one of them even Lincoln knew this entire meeting was just a set up to kill Clarke.


End file.
